Harold the Iceberg Melts Down (Harold the Iceberg #1)

A refrigerator denizen’s misunderstanding becomes a call to action in this author and illustrator debut, a punny tale of food friends tackling anxiety and climate change. Harold, a head of iceberg lettuce known for his worrywart ways, comes unglued when he watches a documentary about the world’s quickly melting icebergs, the image of which matches a crumpled produce sticker on his behind: “I am an iceberg. See?” A different kind of meltdown ensues as Harold rattles off factoids while becoming increasingly distressed: “Did you know the icebergs are MELTING? At an ALARMING RATE?!” Supportive foodstuffs try to help, but nothing works until a bok choy buddy offers reassurance, clarifying Harold’s reality. Newly recharged and still concerned, Harold recruits his fellow fridge pals in crafting a plan to save “MY COUSINS!”—the other icebergs in crisis. With humor and a light touch, Wyzlic balances brief expository passages with emotional dialogue. Syracuse’s digitally rendered anthropomorphic foods feature noodly stick limbs, expressive eyes, and enjoyable edible details, among them a chair made of bread and olives, a butter-stick TV stand, and a hot-sauce mustache. Back matter offers tips for combating climate change. Ages 3–6. Author’s agent: Natascha Morris, Tobias Literary. (Mar.)