Sweet Pickles

"Sweet Pickles" is a series of 40 children's books by Ruth Lerner Perle, Jacquelyn Reinach, and Richard Hefter (who also created Stickybear and the Strawberry Library). 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 series' name is a pun; in each book, the main character gets into a "" (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 TV commercials and a catchy jingle. There also existed a similar series, "The Alphapets", on which Ruth Lerner Perle collaborated in the early 1990s. In the future a similar series will come out, called the Eurps which will feature not animals, but anthropomorphic letters of the alphabet.

The Sweet Pickles books were read in various episodes of the CBS television series Captain Kangaroo.

Books in the series

There was one book for each of the 26 "Sweet Pickles" characters (each representing a letter of the alphabet):
*"Who Stole Alligator's Shoe?" about Accusing Alligator who blames everything and everybody for anything that happens
*"Scaredy Bear" about Bashful Bear who is so shy he is afraid to try almost everything
*"Fixed by Camel" about Clever Camel—she's very practical and can fix anything, including Kidding Kangaroo
*"No Kicks for Dog" about Doubtful Dog—he doubts anything and everything, including himself.
*"Elephant Eats the Profits" about Enormous Elephant who loves to eat and eat and eat and eat
*"Fish and Flips" about Fearless Fish, the town daredevil. She careens around town on her motorcycle wearing her special SCOBA helmet (Self-Contained Out-of-water Breathing Apparatus) and tries to prove how fearless she is.
*"Goose Goofs Off" about Goof-off Goose—she'll do everything—tomorrow!
*"Hippo Jogs for Health" about Healthy Hippo who always has the latest and greatest answer for keeping fit. This week it's jogging.
*"Me Too Iguana" about Imitating Iguana who wants to be just like everybody else
*"Jackal Wants Everything" about Jealous Jackal who is convinced that everyone else is better off than he is
*"Who Can Trust You, Kangaroo?" about Kidding Kangaroo who doesn't know when to stop joking
*"Lion is Down in the Dumps" about Loving Lion who would like to love everybody all of the time
*"Moody Moose Buttons" about Moody Moose—you never know just what mood he's going to be in next.
*"Nuts to Nightingale" about Nasty Nightingale—she's so mean that she upsets and hurts everyone she meets.
*"Octopus Protests" about Outraged Octopus—she's not afraid to say NO! when bad things go on around town.
*"Pig Thinks Pink" about Positive Pig who is absolutely sure that no matter what happens, it's all for the best
*"Quail Can't Decide" about Questioning Quail who can't make up her mind
*"Rest, Rabbit, Rest" about Responsible Rabbit who's so busy, busy, busy he never takes time to relax
*"Stork Spills the Beans" about Smarty Stork—he has answers for every question, including who delivers babies.
*"Turtle Throws a Tantrum" about Temper Tantrum Turtle who will do almost anything to get her own way
*"Happy Birthday, Unicorn" about Unique Unicorn—she may be the oldest citizen in town, but she's not too old for fun.
*"Kiss Me, I'm Vulture" about Vain Vulture who thinks he is better than anyone else
*"Very Worried Walrus" about Worried Walrus who worries a lot—especially about riding a bicycle
*"Xerus Won't Allow It" about X-Rating Xerus [Xerus is a genus of African ground squirrel, often used to supply an animal beginning with "X".] , who thinks that telling people what is not allowed will solve all problems
*"Yakety Yak Yak Yak" about Yakety Yak who talks and never listens
*"Zip Goes Zebra" about Zany Zebra—he's 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 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"

Other 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 X 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, Moody Moose, Healthy Hippo, Responsible Rabbit, and Worried Walrus).
*"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 1/3 record.
*"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 1/3) 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-Rated 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.

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"

Notes