Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick

From Barnes & Noble

|The Barnes & Noble Review
Much to our delight, Kevin Henkes's Sheila Rae is back! The lovable mouse who first charmed readers in Sheila Rae, the Brave returns with sweet tale about a sisterly struggle and "just deserts."

The adorable Sheila Rae has a new treat for eats -- a scrumptious peppermint stick. As she admires its sweet and pretty perfection, her little sister, Louise, expresses equal enthusiasm. "Please?" she says, in utter simplicity. Sheila Rae makes her sibling work for a taste, making her guess the number of stripes on the delicious treat. When Louise fails that test, Sheila Rae climbs upon a mound of books and pillows and firmly says Louise can have a taste if she can reach it. But it's too high for the little mouse. Suddenly, Sheila Rae loses her balance -- she comes tumbling down, and the peppermint stick breaks in half. Louise has triumphed -- now there are two! They happily eat the candy and Sheila Rae sweetly admits, "I was going to give you some all along!"

This beautiful board book captures all the elements of a true classic for babies, along with gorgeous color and pretty pastels filling in the pages. Wonderfully simple and short text makes reading easy for youngsters. And the artwork is perfectly suited for young eyes -- just enough color, and simple lines against a spare background.

Kevin Henkes has long been our favorite, and with this yummy offering, he holds his place as one of the best. (Amy Barkat)

Publishers Weekly

In his first board-book format, Kevin Henkes brings the star of Sheila Rae, the Brave back in Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick. Here, the familiar theme of sibling rivalry surfaces between the heroine and her younger sister, Louise. As one might suspect, Sheila Rae meets her comeuppance, and in the end, all is well. (Aug.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Children's Literature

This board book will probably bring back memories to most adults and will delight young kids. Sheila Rae has one peppermint stick. It is striped and thin and delicious. Her younger sister Louise wants its. Shelia Rae teases Louise and finally gets her comeuppance when she falls and the stick breaks in half. At which point Louise points out that there are now two and as Sheila Rae had said earlier, if she had two she would certainly share. Not to be outdone Sheila Rae hugs her sister and says she planned to share it all along. The pictures and expressions are wonderful and it's great to see sibling rivalry turn to sweet solidarity. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot

Kirkus Reviews

A sweet treat becomes a source of contention between two sisters in this wry tale about sibling relations and the art of sharing. Sheila Rae savors her peppermint candy; relishing its stripy-ness, its thinness, and most of all its toothsome taste. Enter Louise, her younger sister, who would like a sample. In true older-sibling fashion, Sheila Rae establishes a series of nearly impossible tasks for Louise to accomplish in order to have a taste—estimating the correct number of stripes on the candy, dangling it just out of reach—all of which Louise fails. Sheila Rae is lamenting, with just a small smirk, the fact that she doesn't have two candies when Fate intervenes with a misstep that lands Sheila in a heap and the candy in two pieces. Henkes (Wemberly Worried) presents a kid's-eye view of sibling interactions, deftly portraying the teasing that is part and parcel of these relationships. He does temper Sheila Rae's superiority in the final page, showing her embracing her little sister and declaring, "I was going to give you some all along!" Despite its chunky board-book format, this will find a ready and appreciative audience among the preschool set. Expressive illustrations, rendered in a pastel bouquet of hues, offer a comical perspective on a familiar scenario. A winsome introduction to Henkes for younger audiences and, rarest of all, just the right amount of art for a board book.