GARIBALDI’S BISCUITS

Anglophones and -philes who have wondered about the origins of the Peek Freans Company’s Bourbon and Garibaldi Biscuits will be entertained by Steadman’s fanciful version of history and enlightened by the (somewhat) straighter dope in his afterword. No sooner, it seems, does the great Garibaldi return to his Italian hometown after many adventures than his grandmother is snatched by hungry French soldiers (“Bourbons”) to cook for them. Rousing his red-shirted army—all of whom are armed with water balloons and use pizzas as belt buckles for quick battlefield snacks—Garibaldi charges to the rescue. Undaunted, his grandma takes pity on the vanquished invaders and whips up batches of chocolate and non-chocolate “biscuits” for both sides. The illustrations have a dashed-off, late-Steig–ish look, with awkwardly posed figures placed into scenes depicted with splashes of color and quick, jumbled pen strokes. Though the overall effect is quirky and comical, the snacks and historical references will mean more to young readers on the other side of the pond. Likely a miss on this side, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles. (Picture book. 6-8)