The Horn Book Guide

INTERMEDIATE FICTION

Baker, Kim

Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School

236 pp. | Roaring Brook | September, 2012 | Trade ISBN 978-1-59643-765-4 $15.99

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Tim Probert. Using a pickle-making club as cover, narrator Ben handpicks his crew for the P.T.A. (Prank and Trick Association). The elation everyone feels after a successful trick is balanced by the stress of keeping a secret, especially when the pranks don't turn out as planned. Baker writes with a light, lively hand, depicting a realistic urban setting peopled with engaging characters from various ethnic backgrounds.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012