The Pickle-Chiffon Pie Olympics

PreS-Gr 2—In this sequel to Bradfield's fanciful Pickle-Chiffon Pie (Rand McNally, 1967), Princess Sierra returns home from Princess College with designs to marry cute Prince Charminger. Thinking that curly hair and dimples are no basis for choosing a husband, her father decides to hold the Pickle-Chiffon Pie Olympics. Whoever emerges as the winner of the 10-day athletic competition will marry his daughter. Vowing to drown herself in the moat if she is not allowed to marry the man of her choice, Sierra storms off to stay with Aunt Venetia. Meanwhile, several eligible men, including mean Baron Brotwurst, brawny Peter Picklepicker, and a mysterious knight in black armor, compete in events such as the horseshoe toss (with the horse still attached), the giant climb, the 10-mile bicycle race (minus the bicycles, which have not yet been invented), and, of course, the discus-throw, using pickle-chiffon pies. Bradfield's outlandish story moves along at a brisk pace until the strong-willed princess eventually gets her way. Bright, splotchy pen-and-ink drawings follow the lighthearted story, although the occasional absence of color in some illustrations is somewhat puzzling. Overall, a fun additional purchase.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT