THE TACKY LITTLE ICICLE SHACK

Slush; about two portions of chocolate ice cream, two bananas, and half a half-pint of coffee cream."" This rainy day recipe triggers a brisk business career for the three Warren children, apprehensive about their ailing father and the state of the family finances. Exploring the countryside around their newly-rented house, they discover the ""tacky little icicle shack,"" a deserted igloo-shaped ice cream stand, and adopt it for the manufacture and sale of slush. But slush means dirty snow means no sales appeal. Inspired by TV commercials, Ricki and Mimi and Stephen-Starven (guess why?) revamp the image and change the name to ""Princess Mimi's Delish."" Business goes up, but so does the electric meter on the tacky and so does the owner's temper. When all is disclosed, the children learn that their parents are not at the door of the poorhouse. Free enterprise becomes communal effort: the new school teacher decides to base a fund-raising project on their venture, and the story concludes with ""Three cheers for Miss Under-hill and the Tacky Little Shack and Delish.""... Delish it is: wholesome ingredients smoothly blended with a dash of imagination means a sure sale.