I Do Not Like Yolanda

I Do Not Like Yolanda is a sweet story about facing your fears and reconsidering first impressions. Bianca loves writing letters to her pen pals all over the world. Her only obstacle is Yolanda, the terrifying postal worker. Bianca avoids Yolanda’s line at the post office whenever she can and thinks Yolanda would “eat her up” if she could. Readers see Bianca gathering up all of her lucky charms on her route to the post office to make sure everything goes smoothly. When she makes it to her destination and is ready to mail her five letters, Yolanda's line is the only one available, and Bianca has no choice but to talk to her. She prepares herself for the dreaded interaction, reminding herself that Yolanda will not ruin her day. But when Bianca gets to Yolanda’s counter and asks her about her weekend in an effort to have a positive interaction, Yolanda tells her about a lovely meal she just cooked. Their interaction is sweet and pleasant, and Bianca feels a huge sense of relief. Suddenly, readers can feel Bianca’s expression change from fear to curiosity as she wants to learn more about Yolanda.

Bianca’s experience of being afraid of strangers and building them up to be a scary entity is relatable for any shy child interacting with new people. Bianca was worried about talking to Yolanda, but it did not stop her from doing what she loves – sending letters to all of her friends. The story’s being told from Bianca’s point of view allows readers to understand how Yolanda makes her feel even before readers get to see the real Yolanda.

Today, I’m not going to be afraid of Yolanda. And if she tries to eat me up, I’ll eat her up right back.

The illustrations were created using ink, gouache and colored pencil. The artwork is playful and light and works well in giving readers a dream-like sense of Yolanda through Bianca’s eyes. Yolanda and Bianca are both very light-skinned with dark hair. The illustrations complement the text in showing the joy Bianca gets from writing letters and how important this act is to her. In the moments leading up to reaching the post office counter, Bianca is drawn bracing herself with eyes closed, expecting the worst. Once Bianca realizes Yolanda is smiling at her, readers are shown a close-up of Yolanda looking friendly and engaging, and, along with Bianca, readers realize that Yolanda is not so scary after all.

Bianca’s delight in connecting with friends and family through her thoughtful letters leads to an unexpected real-life connection with Yolanda. Ultimately, I Do Not Like Yolanda sweetly demonstrates the power of rethinking assumptions and facing your fears.