Princess Pistachio is elated to be out of school and starting summer vacation. She has big plans with friends for the first day, all of which are dashed in an instant when her mother insists that she take her younger sister Penny to the park so that she can finish her work. An exciting day exploring a cavern in the cemetery has now transformed into a boring excursion to the park with her annoying baby sister.
The day proves to be anything but boring however. Beginning with Penny’s display of kleptomania at the grocers, followed by a disappearing act, near fatal accident and an encounter with Oldtooth, the witch in the park, Penny keeps Princess Pistachio hopping all day long. Seeing Pistachio exhausted and frustrated by the end of the day, Mom relents and offers to bring in a babysitter for the following day. When the pair hear who she has in mind however, they quickly decide they can fare better on their own.
This book is full of adorable illustrations that, along with the text, clearly capture both the frustrations and fondness older siblings have for their younger charges. Sure to be a big hit with young readers just graduating from picture books to their first chapter books.