SODY SALLYRATUS

Sody Sallyratus, the stuff that makes biscuits rise, will give readers a rise too, in this retelling of a familiar tale. Son, daughter, Pa, and Ma each head off to the general store to buy baking soda, only to get swallowed up on the return trip by a big bear. A little brown squirrel outfoxes the bear, by allowing himself to be chased up a tree whose branches then collapse under the bear's weight. Animal lovers needn't fret; the bear waddles off unharmed. Sloat (The Hungry Giant of the Tundra, 1993, etc.) adds a few touches of her own, and closes the book with a folksy recipe for baking soda biscuits. Filled with autumn oranges, browns, and the crunchy look of fallen leaves, the illustrations capture the boisterous energy of the story. (Picture book/folklore. 4-8)