Sweet Pickles
Encyclopedia
Sweet Pickles is a series of 40 children's books
by Ruth Lerner Perle, Jacquelyn Reinach, and Richard Hefter and published by Holt, Rinehart & Winston
, having sold over 50 million copies. The books are set in the fictional town of Sweet Pickles and are about anthropomorphic
animals with different personalities and behavior. There are 26 animals—one for each letter of the alphabet. The books were published in 1977 and went out of print
in the mid-1990s. The authors also created Stickybear
and the Strawberry Library
.
The series' name is a pun
; in each book, the main character gets into a "pickle" (a difficult situation) because of an all-too human personality trait. The front endpapers of the books portrayed the 26 characters, and the back endpapers portrayed a map of the town.
The books were advertised with television commercials and a catchy jingle
. There also existed a similar series, The Alphapets
, on which Ruth Lerner Perle collaborated in the early 1990s. Some speculate that the reason the series was retired was because despite that it was an alphabet series with one book for each letter of the alphabet, the books did not teach the alphabet like the alphabet series of today which feature words throughout the story beginning with the respective letter.
The Sweet Pickles books were read in various episodes of the CBS television series Captain Kangaroo
.
A poster and a plastic book case (which included a personalized decal set) was included with the subscription.
books:
First Cassette - Responsible Rabbit Rag including these songs:
2nd Cassette - Bashful Bear Blues including these songs:
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
by Ruth Lerner Perle, Jacquelyn Reinach, and Richard Hefter and published by Holt, Rinehart & Winston
Henry Holt and Company
Henry Holt and Company is an American book publishing company. One of the oldest publishers in the United States, it was founded in 1866 by Henry Holt and Frederick Leypoldt...
, having sold over 50 million copies. The books are set in the fictional town of Sweet Pickles and are about anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
animals with different personalities and behavior. There are 26 animals—one for each letter of the alphabet. The books were published in 1977 and went out of print
Out of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
in the mid-1990s. The authors also created Stickybear
Stickybear
Stickybear is a fictional character created by Richard Hefter and an edutainment series starring the character headed by Optimum Resource, Inc. The character was a mascot of Weekly Reader Software, a division of Xerox Education Publications....
and the Strawberry Library
Strawberry Library
The Strawberry Library of First Learning is a series of books written and illustrated by Richard Hefter. Mr. Hefter is best known as the creator of Stickybear and as the illustrator for the Sweet Pickles library of books. All of the books in the Strawberry Library have a strawberry depicted...
.
The series' name is a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
; in each book, the main character gets into a "pickle" (a difficult situation) because of an all-too human personality trait. The front endpapers of the books portrayed the 26 characters, and the back endpapers portrayed a map of the town.
The books were advertised with television commercials and a catchy jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
. There also existed a similar series, The Alphapets
Alphapets
Alphapets was a series of children's books by Ruth Lerner Perle, Deborah Colvin Borgo, Judy Blankenship and Richard Max Kolding. They were similar to the Sweet Pickles books and each letter of the alphabet was represented in a separate book with an animal for each letter of the alphabet...
, on which Ruth Lerner Perle collaborated in the early 1990s. Some speculate that the reason the series was retired was because despite that it was an alphabet series with one book for each letter of the alphabet, the books did not teach the alphabet like the alphabet series of today which feature words throughout the story beginning with the respective letter.
The Sweet Pickles books were read in various episodes of the CBS television series Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo is a children's television series which aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS for nearly 30 years, from October 3, 1955 until December 8, 1984, making it the longest-running children's television program of its day...
.
Characters
These people living in the town of Sweet Pickles are 26 animals, with their names beginning with each letter of the alphabet.- Accusing AlligatorAlligatorAn alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
Gender: Female
Always blaming everyone for things. - Bashful BearBearBears are mammals of the family Ursidae. Bears are classified as caniforms, or doglike carnivorans, with the pinnipeds being their closest living relatives. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern...
Gender: Male
Quiet and shy - Clever CamelCamelA camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
Gender: Female
Known for being able to fix anything. - Doubtful DogDogThe domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
Gender: Male
Doubts anything and everything, including himself. - Enormous ElephantElephantElephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
Gender: Female
Owner of the town's supermarket. Tends to overeat. - Fearless FishFishFish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
Gender: Female
She is a town daredevil, known for her motorcycle and her special helmet. - Goof-off GooseGooseThe word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
Gender: Female
Always putting off her chores for later. - Healthy HippoHippopotamusThe hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
Gender: Male
The town's physician, known for his health tips. - Imitating IguanaGreen IguanaThe Green Iguana or Common Iguana is a large, arboreal herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana native to Central and South America...
Gender: Female
She always tries to imitate everyone else. - Jealous JackalJackalAlthough the word jackal has been historically used to refer to many small- to medium-sized species of the wolf genus of mammals, Canis, today it most properly and commonly refers to three species: the black-backed jackal and the side-striped jackal of sub-Saharan Africa, and the golden jackal of...
Gender: Male
Is always wanting everything that everyone else has. - Kidding KangarooKangarooA kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
Gender: Male
The town's practical joker, tends to annoy everyone with his joking. - Loving LionLionThe lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
Gender: Male
Loves everyone in town, or tries to. - Moody MooseMooseThe moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
Gender: Male
Very emotional, smiling one minute, crying the next. - Nasty NightingaleNightingaleThe Nightingale , also known as Rufous and Common Nightingale, is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, Muscicapidae...
Gender: Female
Always doing nasty or hurtful things to everyone in town. - Outraged OctopusOctopusThe octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
Gender: Female
Not afraid to put a stop to bad things in town. - Positive PigPigA pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
Gender: Female
Always believes that no matter what happens, it's all for the best. - Questioning QuailQuailQuail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
Gender: Female
She is never able to make up her mind. - Responsible RabbitRabbitRabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
Gender: Male
The town's banker, who never seems to deviate from his constantly busy schedule. - Smarty StorkStorkStorks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
Gender: Male
The town's postmaster who seems to have an answer to every question. - Temper Tantrum TurtleTurtleTurtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
Gender: Female
Throws a tantrum when she doesn't get her own way. - Unique UnicornUnicornThe unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
Gender: Female
The oldest citizen in town who is not too old for having fun. - Vain VultureVultureVulture is the name given to two groups of convergently evolved scavenging birds, the New World Vultures including the well-known Californian and Andean Condors, and the Old World Vultures including the birds which are seen scavenging on carcasses of dead animals on African plains...
Gender: Male
Always looking at his reflection and thinks he's good looking. - Worried WalrusWalrusThe walrus is a large flippered marine mammal with a discontinuous circumpolar distribution in the Arctic Ocean and sub-Arctic seas of the Northern Hemisphere. The walrus is the only living species in the Odobenidae family and Odobenus genus. It is subdivided into three subspecies: the Atlantic...
Gender: Male
Worries about absolutely everything, no matter how innocuous. - X-Rating Xerus
Gender: Female
She writes signs and doesn't allow anything. She has a stamp in one hand, and a pencil in the other. - Yakety YakYakThe yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...
Gender: Male
The town's taxi driver who is always chattering and talking. - Zany ZebraZebraZebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
Gender: Male
Known for his unorthodox behavior, and isn't afraid to be different.
Books in the series
Sweet Pickles is a fictional town with animal residents, whose misadventures impart basic values, ethics and social skills to children. A variety of techniques are employed in the series, such as comedy, music, story-telling, and active play. There was one book for each of the 26 Sweet Pickles characters, each representing a letter of the alphabet:- 'Who Stole Alligator's Shoe?': Accusing Alligator blames everything and everybody for anything that happens. She's not nice, she's as mean as Nightingale.
- 'Scaredy Bear': Bashful Bear is so shy he is afraid to try almost everything. He is known as scaredy bear. Too scared to see horror movies.
- 'Fixed by Camel': Clever Camel is very practical and she can fix anything, including Kidding Kangaroo.
- 'No Kicks for Dog': Doubtful Dog doubts anything and everything, including himself.
- 'Elephant Eats the Profits': Enormous Elephant loves to eat and eat and eat and eat.
- 'Fish and Flips': Fearless Fish careens around town on her motorcycle wearing her special helmet and tries to prove how fearless she is.
- 'Goose Goofs Off': Goof-off Goose is a procrastinator. She is always putting things off.
- 'Hippo Jogs for Health': Healthy Hippo always has the latest and greatest answer for keeping fit. This week it's jogging.
- 'Me Too Iguana': Imitating Iguana doesn't see how unique she is, and wants to be just like everybody else.
- 'Jackal Wants Everything': Jealous Jackal is convinced that everyone else is better off than he is.
- 'Who Can Trust You, Kangaroo?': Kidding Kangaroo does not know when to stop joking, clearly annoying all he sees.
- 'Lion is Down in the Dumps': Loving Lion would like to love everybody all of the time.
- 'Moody Moose Buttons': Moody Moose constantly changes his mood.
- 'Nuts to Nightingale': Nasty Nightingale is so mean that she upsets and hurts everyone she meets. She make everyone cry.
- 'Octopus Protests': Outraged Octopus is not afraid to say “No!” when she sees bad things go on around town.
- 'Pig Thinks Pink': Positive Pig is absolutely sure that no matter what happens, she believes it is all for the best.
- 'Quail Can't Decide': Questioning Quail can not make up her mind.
- 'Rest, Rabbit, Rest': Responsible Rabbit is so busy that he never takes time to relax.
- 'Stork Spills the Beans': Smarty Stork has answers for every question, including who delivers babies.
- 'Turtle Throws a Tantrum': Temper Tantrum Turtle will do almost anything to get her own way.
- 'Happy Birthday, Unicorn': Unique Unicorn may be the oldest citizen in town, but she is not too old for fun.
- 'Kiss Me, I'm Vulture': Vain Vulture is self-centered and thinks he is better than everyone else.
- 'Very Worried Walrus': Worried Walrus worries a lot—especially about riding a bicycle.
- 'Xerus Won't Allow It': X-Rating Xerus thinks that telling people what is not allowed will solve all problems, but she understands that isn't always the case.
- 'Yakety Yak Yak Yak': Yakety Yak always talks and never listens.
- 'Zip Goes Zebra': Zany Zebra is not afraid to be different, which really annoys Alligator, Dog, and Kangaroo.
A poster and a plastic book case (which included a personalized decal set) was included with the subscription.
Additional Weekly Reader books
There were also 14 additional Weekly ReaderWeekly Reader
Weekly Reader is a weekly educational classroom magazine designed for children in grades Pre-K–12. It began in 1928 as My Weekly Reader....
books:
- A Bad Break
- The Grand Prize
- The Great Race
- Ice Cream Dreams
- Quick Munch Lunch
- Rainy Day Parade
- Robot S.P.3
- The Secret Club
- Some Friend
- Wait! Wait! Wait!
- Wet All Over
- Wet Paint
- What A Mess
- What's So Great About Nice?
Avon Books and products
- Splashes and Bubbles and Foam and Other Soapy Things (AKA Avon Presents: All About Body Care, a Fun Book and Record)
- Curls and Bangs and Tangles and Other Hairy Things (AKA Avon Presents: All About Hair Care, a Fun Book and Record)
- Smiles and Grins and Giggles and Other Toothy Things (AKA Avon Presents: All About Tooth Care, a Fun Book and Record)
- Avon Pick a Pack of Sweet Pickles Puzzles (a pack of puzzles)
- Avon Accusing Alligator Bubble Bath
- Avon Loving Lion Non-Tear Shampoo
- Avon Outraged Octopus Toothbrush Holder and 2 Toothbrushes
- Avon Zany Zebra Hairbrush
- Avon Fearless Fish Face Mask and Face Soap
Related items and books
- The Noisy Book Starring Yakety Yak (smaller softcover)
- The Angry Book Starring Temper Tantrum Turtle (smaller softcover) ISBN 0-394-85541-8
- The Scaredy Book Starring Worried Walrus (smaller softcover)
- The Messy Book Starring Goof-off Goose (smaller softcover)
- Sweet Pickles Activity Bus - Preschool Program. This was a green plastic bus filled with 5 × 7 cards describing activities for preschoolers. It included well over 150 cards, cardboard game boards, a spinner, plastic playing piece bases, etc.
- Sweet Pickles Board Game.
- Sweet Pickles Figurines by Enesco (a Christmas set included Accusing Alligator, Kidding Kangaroo, Moody Moose, Healthy Hippo, Responsible Rabbit, and Worried Walrus).
- Loving Lion and Accusing Alligator ceramic piggy bank by Enesco.
- Sweet Pickles aluminum garbage can made by Balanoff featuring a large illustration of the entire cast of Sweet Pickles characters.
- Responsible Rabbit ceramic coffee mug by Enesco.
- Sweet Pickles hair clips featuring Goof-Off Goose, Zany Zebra, and Bashful Bear.
- Two Read Along and Sing Along Stories: Why Do Socks Have to Match? and Clean-Your-Room-Or-Else! Starring Goof-Off-Goose Book and 33 record.
- Health Is Very Healthy For You starring Healthy Hippo, vinyl LP, Parachute Records; 1983.
- Pop 26: Songs With Giggles and Tickles and Life's Silly Pickles by The Sweet Pickles Players (1980) (Catalog #EU 802A). A 2 LP (12" 33) set on Euphrosyne Records. It came with paper punch-outs of the Sweet Pickles Players and The Sweet Pickles Stand Up Play Stage. It features the songs:
- "Sweet Pickles Theme Song" - Pop 26
- "What a Wonderful Town This Could Be" - Outraged Octopus
- "Lion Looks at Love" - Loving Lion
- "I do It Too" - Imitating Iguana
- "Responsible Rabbit Rag" - Responsible Rabbit
- "I'll Do It Tomorrow" - Goof-Off Goose
- "Havin' Fun" - Zany Zebra
- "Isn't It Sweet to Eat?" - Enormous Elephant
- "Bashful Bare Blues" - Bashful Bear
- "Tantrum" - Temper Tantrum Turtle
- "If I Could Make Up My Mind" - Questioning Quail
- "Stork Spills the Beans" - Smarty Stork
- "Not Allowed" - X-Rating Xerus
- "Haw, Haw, I'm Only Kidding" - Kidding Kangaroo
- "I'm Gorgeous" - Vain Vulture
- "I Am Clever" - Clever Camel
- "I'm Moody Moose" - Moody Moose
- "I'm Nasty Nightingale" - Nasty Nightingale
- "Health is Very Healthy for You" - Healthy Hippo
- "It's Your Fault" - Accusing Alligator
- "Do the Yakety Yak" - Yakety Yak
- "When the Tough Gets Tough" - Fearless Fish
- "That's Something to Worry About" - Worried Walrus
- "Whatever can Go Right, Will" - Positive Pig
- "Down in the Dumps Again" - Doubtful Dog
- "It's Not Fair" - Jealous Jackal
- "Another Birthday" - Unique Unicorn
- "Sweet Pickles Theme Song (Reprise)" - Pop 26
- A 45 single was released featuring "What a Wonderful Town This Could Be" by Outraged Octopus on the A-side and the previously unreleased "You Can't Say Enough About Love" as the B-side. Released on Parachute Records # 814 944-7.
- There were 2 audiocassette tapes with written lyrics included distributed by Creative Learning Products in collaboration with Euphrosyne, 1982:
First Cassette - Responsible Rabbit Rag including these songs:
- "Sweet Pickles Theme Song" - Pop 26
- "Responsible Rabbit Rag" -Responsible Rabbit
- "Tomorrow" - Goof-Off Goose
- "That's Something to Worry About" - Worried Walrus
- "Whatever Can Go Right Will" - Positive Pig
- "Taaaantrum" - Temper Tantrum Turtle
- "Isn't It Sweet to Eat?" - Enormous Elelphant
- "Havin' Fun" - Zany Zebra
- "If Only I Could Make Up My Mind" - Questioning Quail
- "Stork Spills the Beans" - Smarty Stork
- "Not Allowed" - X-Rating Xerus
- "Haw, Haw, I'm Only Kidding" - Kidding Kangaroo
- "I'm Gorgeous" - Vain Vulture
- "Sweet Pickles Theme Song" (reprise)- Pop 26
2nd Cassette - Bashful Bear Blues including these songs:
- "What a Wonderful Town This Could Be" - Outraged Octopus
- "Lion Looks at Love" - Loving Lion
- "Bashful Bare Blues" - Bashful Bear
- "I Am Clever" - Clever Camel
- "I'm Moody Moose" - Moody Moose
- "I'm Nasty Nightingale" - Nasty Nightingale
- "It's Your Fault" - Accusing Alligator
- "When the Tough Gets Tough" - Fearless Fish
- "Down in the Dumps Again" - Doubtful Dog
- "It's Not Fair" - Jealous Jackal
- "Another Birthday" - Unique Unicorn
- "Sweet Pickles Theme Song (Reprise)" - Pop 26
Advertising jingle
Sweet Pickles books were advertised on television as a subscription-type sale format. The ads' jingle was played at least twice during the commercial.- Smart moms know
- How kids' minds grow
- Upon Sweet Pickles