Sweet and Sour

by Brian Yanish, Stacy Ebert (Illustrator)

Overview

Sweet and Sour is a dill-ightfully silly and heartfelt picture book about two rival pickles fermenting their way to friendship—perfect for fans of Stick and Stone and The Day the Crayons Quit.

Sweet and Sour are in a serious pickle. Opposites in almost every way, they are next-door neighbors who just can’t seem to get along. As competition between them ramps up, it may be that their backyard battles will consume them. Or can these persnickety personalities find something better to do with all their misspent energy?

Flavored with a tangy text by Brian Yanish and tart art from Stacy Ebert, this tale about second chances, overcoming differences, and celebrating what unites us is sure to pickle the fancy of readers young and old.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374391447
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	07/30/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	310,858
Product dimensions:	9.45(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Brian Yanish is an author, illustrator and maker. He has worked for the Jim Henson Company, trained as a special effects moldmaker, written and performed comedy and designed software, home decor, apparel and toys. He is the creator of ScrapKins®, a Recycled Arts Enrichment program that inspires kids to see creative potential in everyday junk. Brian has shared STEAM based workshops and talks with schools and institutions across the country and even appeared on Sesame Street. His books include the Shark and Bot young graphic novel series, Pirate Chicken, and Junk Re-Thunk. He currently lives in Rochester, NY.

Stacy Ebert is an author-illustrator for children with a background in communication art and design and elementary education. She is the illustrator of the picture book Hello World! by New York Times–bestselling author Kelly Corrigan. Stacy brings her stories and characters to life with energetic lines and bright, happy colors that humorously and kindly speak a universal language. She lives with her husband and three sons in Minnesota.

Editorial Reviews

[A] humorous story about opposites discovering commonalities and becoming friends . . . The colorful illustrations are lively; the unconventional protagonists are engaging, their body language and exaggerated expressions speaking volumes. Readers definitely won’t sour on this sweet friendship tale.” —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2024-04-05
Talk about opposites not attracting.

Sweet and Sour are pickles who don’t get along. They live on opposite sides of a fence, and their habits and dispositions are wildly different. Long and skinny Sour is slow; short and round Sweet is speedy. Sour is angry; Sweet is happy. Sour prefers the quiet; Sweet likes things loud. As for actual taste, Sour derives his flavor from vinegar and garlic; Sweet’s signature piquancy comes from having been prepared with “cinnamon and sugar and a bop of mustard seed.” Can these contrarians reconcile? Things improve after Sour throws a pool party and invites every pickle—except Sweet. Sour feels guilty when he peers over the fence and spies an angry-looking Sweet in a tiny wading pool. For his part, Sweet considers that maybe the pair aren’t so different and writes Sour a note asking to meet. They become friends, share pickle puns, and build a community where all pickles are welcome. Though many children may dislike pickles (or perhaps haven’t yet tasted them), they’ll feel reassured by this humorous story about opposites discovering commonalities and becoming friends. Young kids may not get the puns, but grown-ups can help with that. Emergent readers should find the simple text easy to navigate. The colorful illustrations are lively; the unconventional protagonists are engaging, their body language and exaggerated expressions speaking volumes.

Readers definitely won’t sour on this sweet friendship tale. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews