Florentine and Pig

Florentine and her porcine sidekick are planning a “very lovely picnic” that includes apple and carrot muffins along with other delicious treats. But when it’s discovered that Pig has eaten the last apple in the house, the little porker must gird his hams and climb a very tall tree to fetch three more. True, it’s not the most gripping narrative, but Katzler and Mikhail’s real interest is in the cooking and baking of the picnic food itself, which consumes the second half of the book. And their story-with-recipes conceit works. Mikhail’s characters have endearingly wide eyes and oodles of energy, and Katzler’s text is as satisfying as an expertly executed soufflé (it’s particularly tempting to read Florentine’s dialogue with a fluttering British trill). The book concludes with recipes for all the picnic fare, as well as instructions for making a festive picnic bunting. The book’s audience may not know Martha Stewart from Adam, but it’s a good bet that this duo will entice readers to at least dabble in cooking and crafts. Ages 3–6. (May)