6 September 2019 SNACK ATTACK by Terry Border, Philomel, September 2019, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-524-74011-5

“He’s gone. He’s gone.

And nothing’s gonna bring him back.”

-- Hunter/Garcia (1972)

“One afternoon, a cheese doodle, a pretzel stick, and a cookie all escaped from their packages, even though they had been warned about the outside world. 

There were monsters, they’d heard, with big teeth and slobbery tongues who ate snacks like them in two loud chomps.”

For years, photographer Terry Border has been adding wire arms and legs to food objects, and bringing them to life in picture books. With SNACK ATTACK, Border brings his photographic talents and anthropomorphized food characters to a slapstick tale that will have younger elementary students howling and falling out of their chairs in fits of laughter. 

The book features a great, anticipatory cover image. Old, 1950s-style monster movie lettering accompanies the shadow of a reaching hand. Unwitting Cookie gestures something like, “What’s the problem?” as Pretzel and Cheese Doodle race away.

The tale begins with the snacks escaping their packaging and goofing around in the kitchen. But they scare one another with their talk of snack-munching monsters and decide that a plan to avoid them is necessary. The story’s first unforgettable sight gag involves their seeking out a hiding place that, unfortunately, results in the diminishment of Cheese Doodle’s cheesy bottom:

“‘Ouchy-ouch-OUCH!’ yelled Cheese Doodle.

‘Oh no!’ said Pretzel, ‘Cheese Doodle got too close to the cheese grater.’

‘I don’t feel greater,’ cried Cheese Doodle. ‘It’s really a cheese worser!’”

After developing a seemingly safer alternative strategy, all seems to go according to plan. In due course, Pretzel and Cheese Doodle share a celebratory high five. But then:

“‘Hey, Cookie, where are you?’”

Whoops!

Don’t try this at home: The back cover provides a final sight gag featuring the three snack characters in a scene with an electric kitchen gadget that didn’t make it into the story, but stands quite well on its own.

I’ve enjoyed some of Terry Border’s previous books, but this one really puts him on my radar.

Richie Partington, MLIS

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