I Will Not Go to Market Today

by Harry Allard

Fenimore B. Buttercrunch's repeated attempts to go to market are met with obstacles.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Harry Allard was an American writer of children's books. Many of his books have received awards; a few have also been banned and challenged in the United States.

Reviews

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love just about any book that James Marshall illustrates, so this was half-won over before I even opened up the cover and shared it with my youngest son! This story holds great possibilities for a first grade writing project (what else could have kept Fenimore B. Buttercrunch from going to market?), as well as discusses several different weather conditions, making it a great opener for our weather unit.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

One morning Fenimore B. Buttercrunch runs out of jam and tries to go the market to buy some more. The task proves much more difficult than he expected as a series of unfortunate events befall him in his quest for jam. A funny read aloud with an ending that promises more mishaps in poor Fenimore's near future.

[Chloe Simpson-White · Rating 5 out of 5]

this story holds so much sentimental value for me, it was my all time favourite book as a child and now wen i read it as an adult, i can hear my Grandma's voice in my head. i hope to read this with a child of my own one day.

[Corinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, this book was a big mood.

[Chance Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fenimore B Buttercrunch might be the best name for a character

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fenimore B. Buttercrunch's attempts to go to market to buy a jar of jam are thwarted by one calamity after another.

Poor Fenimore, all he wants is strawberry jam for his toast and tea, but he faces a series of obstacles that prevent from going to market him day after day. His hindrances, intended to be comic in their magnitude, quickly escalate. It literally takes him over six months to finally get his jam. His bad luck is so profound that it seems like a deliberate act of God.

I sympathized with Fenimore's plight rather than laughing at his misfortunes. In fact, this story left me feeling somewhat sad. Watching such a humble request be repeatedly denied seemed rather cruel. My child, on the other hand, found the story silly and amusing and kept wondering what would happen next to stop Fenimore from going to market.

This picture book perfectly illustrates the idiom if it’s not one thing, it’s another.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fenimore B. Buttercrunch (a hen) needs to go to the market to buy some jam. But there is a blizzard so he can’t go. Each day, there is a new problem with the weather (fog, heatwave, broken dam, earthquake, etc.). He finally makes it, though, after 6 months.