JALAPEÑO HAL

When ``rough, tough cowboy'' Jalape§o Hal comes to Presidio, everyone keeps out of his way—except Kit, whose ambition is to eat enough hot peppers to grow up as tough as his hero. When there's a drought, Kit calls Hal to come to the rescue: loading their horses with hot chilies, they hand them out to everyone in Presidio. The resulting tears—and steam from people's ears—form a cloud that rains down in a lifesaving thunderstorm. The tongue- in-cheek narration of this original tall tale, and the sendup of both Texan heroics and the westerner's classic laconic delivery, make it a natural for sharing aloud. Harris's lively illustrations are in the proper spirit; with flat, bright colors rimmed in heavy, squiggly black line, they almost jump off the page. (Picture book. 4-8)