I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie

by Alison Jackson

Book Overview

I know an old lady who swallowed a pie, a Thanksgiving pie, which was really too dry.

And with that the feast begins After the pie the old lady swallows a whole squash, all of the salad, and the entire turkey As Mother and Father watch in shock, the two children are delighted to see the old lady growing fatter and fatter. And, in the end, the old lady makes a surprising and humorous contribution to the holiday festivities.

"Jackson draws on some traditional Thanksgiving foods to give a familiar rhyme new zing. Schachner's exuberant, cartoon-style illustrations . . . catch the comedy splendidly " --Booklist

"Schachner's watercolor illustrations are absolutely delightful. Children will find lots to examine and enjoy in these expressive pictures, particularly the repeated appearances of the woman's fluffy white cat." --School Library Journal

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140565957
• ISBN13: 9780140565959
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Puffin Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.9" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 3 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

Kids love getting fat!

I'm a music teacher for grades K-3. Never have I seen kids react so intensely to a sing-along book as they did for all the "I Know an Old Lady..." books. This one especially sparks kids' minds and brings so many other subjects into play. Kids like talking about Thanksgiving as it's one of the few holidays both kids and teachers openly celebrate. This book brought about questions of traditional food and activites as well as the health repercussions of stuffing ourselves. In the end, kindergarten through third grade eyes will sparkle to see the Old Lady grow into a balloon!

interactive puppet theater

My preschool classroom loves to help tell this story with a simple paper bag puppet with a cellophane stomach. A little clipart depicting all the items this grandmotherly woman consumes allows the children to actually feed the puppet. They love this story and it is a "PRA" (please read again) book in our class!

A New Holiday Tradition

Alison Jackson has written a superb take-off on the classic, I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. In this very funny, very hip rendering, the old lady with an unbelievable appetite, swallows first the pie, the very pie she brought to the Thanksgiving feast. This is followed by a jug of cider..."to moisten the pie which was really too dry", then a roll, a squash, the salad, the turkey and on and on.....With each addition, she grows bigger and fatter to the delight and amusement of the family children and the horror of their parents, as they watch their entire holiday meal disappear. Ms Jackson's text is complimented by Judith Byron Schachner's wonderfully expressive and detailed illustrations. Together they have authored a holiday classic, complete with charming, surprise ending, that will be enjoyed by your family for many years to come.

Hilariously funny Thanksgiving tale!!!

My children enjoyed this book emensely! Wonderful illustrations ! A new "Thanksgiving read" tradition!

Good golly Granny--show some manners!

*Hilarious* is the only word to describe this picture book which is a take off of the classic "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. When an "old lady" comes to Thanksgiving dinner she swallows a pumpkin pie--whole. To wash down the pie (which was really too dry) she gulps some cider which "rumbles and mumbles and grumbles" inside her. Then to the horror of the adults and the delight of the children she gobbles the entire Thanksgiving feast! The illustrations cap off the delightful text and add even more fantastic humor as the old lady grows in proportion with each outlandish bite. A must read for story time--kids will be giggling more with every turn of the page. And you'll be "thankful" you don't have such a relative. Or do you? Karma Wilson