The Great Lollipop Caper

K-Gr 2—Being earthy and acidic feels like a curse to Mr. Caper, whose sophisticated flavor appeals only to adults. Kids can't stand him, and he is insanely jealous of Lollipop, wishing that he could take his red rival's place. After Mr. Caper sneaks into the lollipop factory and tampers with the liquid in the vats, green, caper-flavored lollipops emerge, ready for consumption. But the world turns topsy-turvy when children taste the new sour treat and become sourpusses themselves. Now even grown-ups despise Mr. Caper, and it takes the sweet red lollipop to set the world right once more. Remorseful Mr. Caper is forgiven, and, more importantly, he comes to accept that his own unique flavor is perfectly fine. Krall's self-acceptance lesson is delightfully easy to swallow. This hilarious and highly original tale is enhanced by laugh-out-loud Photoshop cartoon illustrations and clever, punchy dialogue. Guaranteed to please a variety of tastes and an undeniably sweet treat for the picture-book shelves.—Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT