STOP THAT PICKLE!
by Peter Armour & illustrated by Andrew Shachat
A witty, imaginative takeoff on ``The Gingerbread Boy'': floating in brine in a huge jar, the last pickle's already hard to corner before he scrambles out. As the truant runs down the street, other foods follow—a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich (``not the fastest sandwich in the world, but it does have great endurance''), a pretzel scattering sesame seeds, an apple, a crowd of raisins and almonds, an ice-cream cone—crying, ``Stop that pickle!'' until the pickle bumps into a boy. ``Eat him!'' shout the pursuers, but the boy has a better idea: ignoring the tearful pickle, he eats the rest of the food, and ``Who ever heard of eating a pickle after ice cream?'' Shachat's caricatures—especially of the bug-eyed pickle—are hilarious; they're set in lively, skillfully composed illustrations with sly comic touches and a surreal quality recalling Henrik Drescher's and Lane Smith's work. Sophisticated art, in a funny book with broad appeal. (Picture book. 4-8)