When ``rough, tough cowboy'' Jalape§o Hal comes to Presidio, everyone keeps out of his way--except Kit, whose ambition is to eat enough hot peppers to grow up as tough as his hero. When there's a drought, Kit calls Hal to come to the rescue: loading their horses with hot chilies, they hand them out to everyone in Presidio. The resulting tears--and steam from people's ears--form a cloud that rains down in a lifesaving thunderstorm. The tongue- in-cheek narration of this original tall tale, and the sendup of both Texan heroics and the westerner's classic laconic delivery, make it a natural for sharing aloud. Harris's lively illustrations are in the proper spirit; with flat, bright colors rimmed in heavy, squiggly black line, they almost jump off the page. (Picture book. 4-8)
