Review: Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie

Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie
By Julie Sternberg, illustrated by Matthew Cordell
Published 2011 by Harry N. Abrams

This is one of the titles on the 2012-13 Bluebonnet List. When I found out it was written in verse, I couldn't resist picking it up for a quick read. Eleanor is devastated when her babysitter, Bibi, has to move away. It is the worst thing. And she absolutely does not want another sitter - Bibi has been her sitter her whole life. Will Eleanor be able to figure out how life works without Bibi?

This is a very short, quick, but very touching read. It's written in verse, in very short chapters, so this book should fly by for the majority of readers. But this book is also dealing with a bit of a tough topic in a very sensitive and sweet way. I don't know that I've seen too many books dealing with the babysitter/child relationship, even though most kids have babysitters in their lives. Eleanor's situation may be more unique than the typical scenario nowadays - I don't know if there are still kids who only have one babysitter their whole lives - but I think this book is incredibly easy to relate to. Ultimately, it's just a story about a friend having to move away and how that makes the person left behind feel. Eleanor is a spirited character and I think this book should appeal to many kids. I found it incredibly charming. The illustrations are a nice addition to the text, making it feel even more as if the book was written by Eleanor herself. Very sweet book.