When Pedro's father grows tired of his laziness, and sends him off into the world, the young man soon finds work with the local priest. But his old disinclination to work, and a tendency to lie, soon land him in trouble, and Pedro once again finds himself on the move. Will he mend his ways, or will his trickery lead him into serious danger...?

Although best known for her many adaptations of African folktales, Verna Aardema has also retold a few Mexican tales, Pedro & the Padre among them. With its trickster hero and his escape from danger, this fable about a boy who learns that dishonesty has consequences, is sure to please young readers who like adventures stories. Friso Henstra's expressive ink and watercolor illustrations are a pleasant accompaniment to the story, although I did wonder at his choice to have two women going to fetch water in party dresses and heels. Other than this minor visual detail, and the unfortunate fact that Aardema neglected to mention her source material for this tale, I enjoyed this foray into Mexican folklore. ( )