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Sweet Pickles facts for kids

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A Sweet Pickles book

The Sweet Pickles series is a collection of 40 children's books created by Ruth Lerner Perle, Jacquelyn Reinach, and Richard Hefter. These popular books, published by Holt, Rinehart & Winston, sold over 50 million copies!

The stories take place in a make-believe town called Sweet Pickles. The characters are animal friends who act a lot like people, each with their own unique personality and habits. There are 26 animals in total, one for each letter of the alphabet.

The books first came out in 1977 but stopped being printed in the mid-1990s. The same creators also made other popular series like Stickybear and the Strawberry Library.

The name "Sweet Pickles" is a pun. In each book, the main character finds themselves in a "pickle" (a tricky situation). This usually happens because of a very human personality trait they have. Inside the books, the front pages showed all 26 characters, and the back pages had a map of the town.

Sweet Pickles books were advertised with TV commercials that had a catchy song. A similar series called The Alphapets was also created, with Ruth Lerner Perle helping out in the early 1990s.

You might have even seen the Sweet Pickles books read on the CBS television show Captain Kangaroo.

In 2012, the Sweet Pickles brand celebrated its 35th birthday! The books are now being re-released as cool digital E-Books. These new versions have added sound effects, narration, and character voices done by voice actors. The first 26 books (A-Z) became available online in the summer of 2012. Bento Box Interactive, a company connected to Bento Box Entertainment, helped create these E-Books.

Meet the Sweet Pickles Characters

The town of Sweet Pickles is home to 26 special animal friends. Each character's name starts with a different letter of the alphabet!

Gender: Female About: She manages the Tower Apartments and always blames others for problems.

Gender: Male About: He is very quiet and shy.

Gender: Female About: She owns the town's Fix-It shop and can fix almost anything.

Gender: Male About: He doubts everything and everyone, even himself!

Gender: Female About: She owns the town's supermarket and loves to eat a lot.

Gender: Female About: She's a daredevil who rides a motorcycle and delivers newspapers.

Gender: Female About: She always puts off her chores and tasks until later.

Gender: Male About: He is the town's doctor and always shares health tips.

Gender: Female About: She tries to copy everyone else around her.

Gender: Male About: He always wants what other people have.

Gender: Male About: He's the town's prankster, but his jokes can sometimes annoy others.

Gender: Male About: He tries his best to love everyone in town.

Gender: Male About: His feelings change quickly; he can be happy one minute and sad the next.

Gender: Female About: She often does mean or hurtful things to others.

Gender: Female About: She is very brave and speaks up to stop bad things from happening.

Gender: Female About: She always believes that everything will turn out for the best, no matter what.

Gender: Female About: She finds it hard to make decisions and is often unsure.

Gender: Male About: He is the town's banker and always sticks to his busy schedule.

Gender: Male About: He is the town's postmaster and seems to have an answer for every question.

Gender: Female About: She gets very upset and throws tantrums when she doesn't get her way.

Gender: Female About: She is the oldest citizen but still loves to have fun. Her favorite saying is "Things aren't what they used to be."

Gender: Male About: He loves looking at himself and thinks he is very good-looking.

Gender: Male About: He worries about everything, even small things.

  • X-Rating Xerus

Gender: Female About: She writes signs and often says what isn't allowed.

Gender: Male About: He is the town's taxi driver and loves to talk a lot.

Gender: Male About: He is known for being different and isn't afraid to be himself.

The Sweet Pickles Book Series

The Sweet Pickles books teach children important lessons about values, good behavior, and getting along with others. They use funny stories, songs, and activities to help kids learn. Each of the 26 characters has their own book, matching a letter of the alphabet:

  • Who Stole Alligator's Shoe?: Accusing Alligator always blames others.
  • Scaredy Bear: Bashful Bear is too shy to try new things.
  • Fixed by Camel: Clever Camel can fix anything, even tricky situations.
  • No Kicks for Dog: Doubtful Dog questions everything, including himself.
  • Elephant Eats the Profits: Enormous Elephant loves to eat and eat!
  • Fish and Flips: Fearless Fish shows how brave she is on her motorcycle.
  • Goose Goofs Off: Goof-off Goose always puts off her tasks.
  • Hippo Jogs for Health: Healthy Hippo shares the best ways to stay fit.
  • Me Too Iguana: Imitating Iguana wants to be like everyone else.
  • Jackal Wants Everything: Jealous Jackal always thinks others have it better.
  • Who Can Trust You, Kangaroo?: Kidding Kangaroo's jokes sometimes go too far.
  • Lion Is Down in the Dumps: Loving Lion tries to love everyone all the time.
  • Moody Moose Buttons: Moody Moose's feelings change very quickly.
  • Nuts to Nightingale: Nasty Nightingale often upsets others with her mean actions.
  • Octopus Protests: Outraged Octopus bravely speaks up against unfair things.
  • Pig Thinks Pink: Positive Pig always believes things will work out for the best.
  • Quail Can't Decide: Questioning Quail struggles to make up her mind.
  • Rest, Rabbit, Rest: Responsible Rabbit is so busy he never takes a break.
  • Stork Spills the Beans: Smarty Stork has an answer for every question.
  • Turtle Throws a Tantrum: Temper Tantrum Turtle gets her way by throwing fits.
  • Happy Birthday, Unicorn: Unique Unicorn is the oldest but still loves to have fun.
  • Kiss Me, I'm Vulture: Vain Vulture thinks he is better than everyone else.
  • Very Worried Walrus: Worried Walrus worries about almost everything.
  • Xerus Won't Allow It: X-Rating Xerus tries to solve problems by saying "no."
  • Yakety Yak Yak Yak: Yakety Yak loves to talk and rarely listens.
  • Zip Goes Zebra: Zany Zebra isn't afraid to be different, which can annoy others.

Sweet Pickles Music

The Sweet Pickles characters also had their own music!

  • Health Is Very Healthy For You starring Healthy Hippo, released in 1983.
  • Pop 26: Songs With Giggles and Tickles and Life's Silly Pickles by The Sweet Pickles Players (1980). This was a two-record set that included songs for many of the characters:
    • "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-Rating 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

There were also two audio cassette tapes with lyrics, released in 1982:

  • First Cassette - Responsible Rabbit Rag
    • "Sweet Pickles Theme Song" - Pop 26
    • "Responsible Rabbit Rag" -Responsible Rabbit
    • "Tomorrow" - Goof-Off Goose
    • "That's Something to Worry About" - Worried Walrus
    • "Whatever Can Go Right Will" - Positive Pig
    • "Taaaantrum" - Temper Tantrum Turtle
    • "Isn't It Sweet to Eat?" - Enormous Elelphant
    • "Havin' Fun" - Zany Zebra
    • "If Only I Could Make Up My Mind" - Questioning Quail
    • "Stork Spills the Beans" - Smarty Stork
    • "Not Allowed" - X-Rating Xerus
    • "Haw, Haw, I'm Only Kidding" - Kidding Kangaroo
    • "I'm Gorgeous" - Vain Vulture
    • "Sweet Pickles Theme Song" (reprise)- Pop 26
  • Second Cassette - Bashful Bear Blues
    • "What a Wonderful Town This Could Be" - Outraged Octopus
    • "Lion Looks at Love" - Loving Lion
    • "Bashful Bare Blues" - Bashful Bear
    • "I Am Clever" - Clever Camel
    • "I'm Moody Moose" - Moody Moose
    • "I'm Nasty Nightingale" - Nasty Nightingale
    • "It's Your Fault" - Accusing Alligator
    • "When the Tough Gets Tough" - Fearless Fish
    • "Down in the Dumps Again" - Doubtful Dog
    • "It's Not Fair" - Jealous Jackal
    • "Another Birthday" - Unique Unicorn
    • "Sweet Pickles Theme Song (Reprise)" - Pop 26
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