The Hiccup

Originally published in Germany, Sissung's story covers familiar territory: a case of the hiccups that just won't quit. A brown bear named Elliott is suffering from them and to make matters worse, "his cousin Lutz, who was visiting him in the woods, did not get the hiccups and was making fun of him." The following pages see Elliott getting an array of advice from his fellow forest animals: a squirrel tells him, "Hold your breath and count ten nuts in your head!" and a rabbit later stands on Elliott's belly, jabbing him with a stick: "Hiccups are a kind of monster in your stomach. You just have to poke it." Nothing works, and Lutz is seen cackling away in every wintry scene. The translation is a bit wooden, but there's plenty to enjoy in Sissung's thickly painted woodland scenes and her doughy bear cousins, with their scraggly fur and spindly limbs. Although the story steadily builds to the obvious ending, with Elliott getting relief and Lutz getting what's coming to him, that final twist arrives abruptly and lacks a satisfying punch. Ages 3%E2%80%936. (Jan.)