The Wise Pickle

by Sarah Howden, Sabina Hahn (Illustrator)

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Food, Kids, Animals, Juvenile, Humor

48 pages, Hardcover

Published June 23, 2026

About the author

Sarah Howden is a children's book author and editor best known for her 5-Minute Stories for Fearless Girls collection. She lives in Toronto with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Alex Colvin · Rating 2 out of 5]

An offbeat way to explain hospice care and accepting your own death to a small child. Not ideal as a wind-down-for-bedtime story, but perhaps it could be a growth experience if administered at the right time of day and the right mindset. But it caused no small measure of distress in our humble household.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

How bizarre.

[Shelby]

"I have lived a lot of life."

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who loves pickles, I was very amused.

Idk if a kid would really find it as amusing though. Probably a hit or miss in that regard.

[Liz McElroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Purposes can change, said the pickle

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

With its wry observations and quirky artwork, this story about a desiccating pickle reads like an extended New Yorker cartoon. End papers showcasing a set of double decker shelves filled with giant ominous jars (one containing a frightened looking cucumber with tiny eyeballs) set the mood. Then we meet our hero who bounces to land in front of a dry cleaners, intoning “I am a pickle on the side of the road…I have lived a lot of life.”  A rat happens by and squawks: “Did that pickle just talk?”; most readers will agree that a verbose pickle is more ridiculous than a talking rodent. Other neighbors (a mouse, a chipmunk, a bird, and an earthworm) come by to visit the wise pickle, tenderly moving it to a pillow and asking big questions, such as do you ever get bored? Why are we here? The pickle, like mountain-top gurus everywhere, answers matter-of-factly (he was tossed aside by someone who hated pickles) but his answers are interpreted by his new friends as remarkably profound (“Now, this is my home. Because I have no other choice”). His dearest wish, carefully considered, is to be gobbled up by a dog. As the pickle shrivels and even begins to smell, the chipmunk finally makes the call: “Summon the dog”.  In a wordless double-page spread, a giant yellow hound approaches the pillow; just as he is about to take a gulp, a seagull swoops down and grabs the pickle, but soon loses its grip and drops the vegetable into the ocean. Then the book becomes a circle story as a fish swims over: “Did that pickle just talk?” Closing end papers return us to the rows of pickle jars; sharp-eyed readers will notice the one that previously housed the main character has vanished, leaving behind only a blank space. 

With its deadpan humor and absurd premise, The Wise Pickle won’t be for everyone. But even as Howden’s protagonist ostensibly struggles with weighty existential questions, Hahn’s simple, effective, and even cute watercolor illustrations add much needed levity to the story. Who can resist the mouse delicately offering her precious crumbs to the pickle (“I’m here to feed others, not to eat”) or the earthworm (itself a consumer of decay) peacefully sharing its pillow? Her uncluttered settings and bright colors – the pickle’s deep green skin, the bright orange chipmunk, the blue sky as the seagull soars away, and plentiful white space around her quirky characters – help maintain the story’s humor and lightness. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Chelsea Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wise Pickle by Sarah Howden is a clever, offbeat story that uses the pickling process as a metaphor for gaining wisdom. It’s a fresh, funny take on the "good things come to those who wait" theme.

Pros:
Original Concept: Using a brining jar to teach mindfulness is brilliant and memorable.
Expressive Art: Nick Craine’s illustrations give the pickles surprising personality and charm.

Cons:
A Bit Abstract: The "soaking in wisdom" metaphor might require some extra explanation for very young children.
Specific Humor: Its slightly "weird," character-driven style might not appeal to every kid.

A smart, refreshing choice for families who enjoy stories that are a little out of the ordinary.

[Victoria Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am shocked at the 3-star reviews — I mean, it's an *award winner! — so I felt compelled to say something because this is a five-star-er for me, and one of those titles I'm dying to read to littles because I know their comments/questions are going to be brilliant. It takes a five-year-old to really get the wisdom of pickles.

Beyond creating brilliant parallels between a shriveling pickle and humans in their end-of-life (am I the only one who sees this?), Sarah Howden's wry, weird writing and Sabina Hahn's deadpan illustrations remind us that life is absurd, and brined vegetables are wise.


*Winner of the 2026 Best Picture Book Opening Sentence Award, as determined by Victoria M. Sanchez

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this purely because of the title (well, maybe a little because of the cover - look at the little guy!).
Um…this one is a bit dark! A mysterious pickle falls from the sky (actually tossed away by someone who didn’t like pickles on their hot dogs). All of the animals gather around to hear its story. But it’s a hot summer, so the pickle begins to shrivel.

I’m not completely sure what the message is supposed to be here? The illustrations are cute, and there’s definitely a tongue in cheek quality to the writing. I guess it’s absurd just for the sake of being absurd?

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very unique and quirky children's book, and the beginning definitely got a chuckle out of me. I will admit, I wasn't expecting such deep/thought provoking themes from a story of a pickle (who am I? what is my purpose? and contemplating death). But I suppose that's why the pickle was wise! The ending was back to being silly and if you pick up this book, I'd recommend for children ages 4-5+ who would see the humor but are also beginning to think more critically about the harder questions the story brings up.

Thank you, Tundra Book Group, for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Missi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was featured in the little flyer we get from the local bookstore. I go through it religiously to see what I might want to get for my youth department at the library. There are times I see a title and/or cover and it goes immediately onto my book order without researching. This is one of those books.

However, after reading it, and snorting over the hysterical absurdity of it all..I'm concerned for the future of the pickle. This lil sentient pickle, resting at the bottom of the sea. I hope it will have others to talk to as it whiles away the rest of its pickle life. A pickle that wise would need interaction with others lest it be bored and lonely.

[Chrissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

The wise pickle is wry and funny and made me laugh a few times. I fear young children may not feel the same. They may either be confused by the strange way all the characters are behaving, or worried about the pickle's well being. I'm a fan of silly books, and I think kids usually get absurd humor. However, the wise pickle may be a bit too esoteric for my young readers. The pickle's ultimate fate is unclear and maybe even confusing. The illustrations are great, and convey the humor and the empathy of the animal characters.

[Little Bitts · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wise Pickle may be one of the oddest children's books I've read in a while. The blurb says for kids 3-7, but I would probably recommend it for older kids unless you are hoping they do not understand some of the plot. I would recommend doing a solo read through before reading with kids because the pickle essentially thinking that it's dying might be upsetting to younger readers. That being said, I really enjoyed the illustrations.

Thanks to Tundra Book Group and NetGalley for an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Kaitlin Lewis-Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

I checked this out on Netgalley mainly because I thought the cover was cute, and picture books are delightfully easy to read. I enjoyed the illustrations and the story kept me engaged, but I do not see myself returning to this book. Things take a dark turn that I wasn't really expecting, and although the story has a happy ending I find myself a little haunted by this book. Somewhere out there is the perfect person for this story, it just isn't me.

[Mizzy Mint · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is silly and interesting. It's vaguely philosophical but very comical. The pickle appears after being discarded by someone who doesn't eat pickles. A bunch of animals treat him almost like a prophet or monk, placing him on a pillow and taking in his wisdom. This book was honestly hilarious. When they said "summon the dog" I cackled. And when he landed in the ocean and the fish implied this process would start over I thought that was so silly. Definitely a good read.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars
A pickle drops from the sky and lands on a sidewalk. The animals are curious about it. They prop it up on a napkin-like pillow. The pickle tells them of the wonders it has seen, slowly drying up in the heat of the sun. Then the pickle proclaims it is ready for the end. It would like to be chomped by a dog. The dog is brought in...

[Marylovesreading · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wise Pickle by Sarah Howden had good illustrations but a very strange story. I enjoyed looking at the art but struggled to see any wisdom in the story. Though it was a miss for me, others may enjoy it more.

[Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I requested this one based on the title and cover and it was quirky and interesting with a little dose of reality as the pickle withers away. The illustrations were great.

[Emily Cait · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received access to an ARC from the publisher through work.

This pickle has seen some things. Their dead eyed stare throughout the story makes me giggle. Such a fun silly read -- I can totally see having so much fun with this for a read aloud storytime!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mildly morbid, somewhat existential, and strangely relatable. The Wise Pickle certainly took me on an adventure that I wasn't expecting, just like life does for all of us. If you're like me, you will probably also laugh.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do you ever read a book and go wow, that was a really stupid book. Maybe there's some lesson in there about taking charge of your own destiny, but I think that's going to go over the heads of picture book readers.

[Laurel Zeisler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I just read. A talking pickle is a fun idea. But if there was a message or higher meaning, I didn't get it. I took it at face value of being a silly book. The illustrations were good. Maybe after some other people provide reviews, I'll go back and reread it to see if I missed something.

[Meghan Bohn · Rating 2 out of 5]

...what did I just read?
Love the fact that pickle brine was used in the illustrations.

[Karrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is not for everyone - reflective pickles. For me just meh

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absurd tale of a philosophical pickle.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very odd book. A self reflecting pickle has thoughts about the world, that are pretty sad and existential.

[sucker4synth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will this pickle story break a child?

Maybe?

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A read that not everyone will enjoy or understand, but if you do, I guess

[Jessica Siler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute.

[Dolores · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much fun.