From Publishers Weekly
Colorful idiom characterizes this witty Western adventure, narrated by an amiable but bumbling sheriff. When "the ittiest, bittiest orphan, little Sweetness" runs away from the local orphanage and its cruel headmistress, the sheriff follows her into the desert. "I was gonna bring that orphan back if it harelipped the governor!" he vows, worried that Sweetness will fall prey to a scorpion, a snake or the outlaw Coyote Pete. Ironically, the sheriff turns out to be the vulnerable one, and Sweetness rescues him three times, with water from her canteen, a snack of toasted marshmallows and a well-placed rock to Coyote Pete's head-all the while dropping hints about adoption. Stanley (Woe Is Moe; Leonardo da Vinci) guarantees a cowpokey twang by droppin' g's and spellin' phonetically, and she milks the narrator's thick-headedness for all its comic worth ("How many times has I gotta save you?" he scolds after Sweetness comes to his aid). Karas (Mr. Carey's Garden; Home on the Bayou) sets the scene with charcoaly pencil illustrations; a palette of pale yellow, sandy brown and cactus green; and tinted cyanotype photos of desert scenery and old-fashioned buildings. Sweetness really is, as the sheriff observes, "cute as a speckled pup under a wagon," and her mustachioed father-to-be has his own goofy charm. Their story is sweet, and worth saving. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-A rip-roaring tale featuring a big-hearted sheriff, a high-spirited heroine, and a happily ever after ending, all told in the tongue-rattling twang of the Old West. When Sweetness, the littlest orphan at nasty Mrs. Sump's house, runs away, it is up to the sheriff to save her from the dangers of the desert, including the evil desperado Coyote Pete. However, it never seems to be Sweetness who needs saving. Just as soon as the sheriff begins to stagger with thirst, Sweetness appears with a canteen of water; when he shivers without a blanket, she shows up to build a fire complete with toasted marshmallows; and, as he stares down the barrel of Coyote Pete's loaded six-shooter, there she is, holding a large bolder over the villain's head. Each time they meet, the little girl refuses to return to the orphanage, until the law-enforcement officer finally figures out how to save her "fer good." Telling the tale from the sheriff's point of view, Stanley packs this fast-paced adventure full of language that begs to be read aloud. The contrast between the well-meaning but slow-witted adult and the resourceful and independent child remains funny throughout the story, leading right up to the satisfying conclusion. Combining gouache, acrylic, and pencil drawings with cyanotype photographs, Karas's illustrations evoke the arid landscape of the West yet remain wonderfully original. The positioning of the characters, as well as their expressive features, underscore the humor and emotion in the text. Don't miss this creative collaboration.
Joy Fleishhacker, School Library JournalCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
