How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World [Hardcover]

Marjorie Priceman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Illus. in full color. An apple pie is easy to make...if the market is open. But if the market is closed, the world becomes your grocery store. This deliciously silly recipe for apple pie takes readers around the globe to gather ingredients. First hop a steamboat to Italy for the finest semolina wheat. Then hitch a ride to England and hijack a cow for the freshest possible milk. And, oh yes! Don't forget to go apple picking in Vermont! A simple recipe for apple pie is included.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A yen to bake sends a girl on a worldwide shopping spree to gather ingredients for that favorite all-American treat, apple pie. Priceman ( The Tiny, Tiny Boy and the Big, Big Cow ) is a master of whimsy (the chicken chosen to lay the eggs, for example, falls to earth in a parachute). Energetic watercolors radiate an offbeat nostalgia; although they're not moored in any particular period, they contain an appealing jumble of details, from Edwardian (an antique pram; turn-of-the-century millinery) through the present day (a yellow school bus). Priceman addresses her audience directly, an astute device that draws readers in and lets them accompany the pinafore-clad, Madeleine-esque cook on her travels, from the Italian countryside (she's there for the semolina wheat) to Sri Lanka (for cinnamon, from the bark of the kurundu tree) to Jamaica (for the sugar cane) and home via Vermont (the apples, of course). At last, the pie is baked and feasted upon by the girl and all the friends she has made on her travels. For those inevitably salivating by the final page, a recipe is included. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-In this whimsical, geographical shopping journey, a young baker thinks of how to proceed if the market is closed. She directs readers, via various modes of transportation, to gather seminola wheat in Italy, a chicken (for its egg) in France, bark from the kurundu (cinnamon) tree in Sri Lanka, a cow (for butter) in England, salt water and sugar cane in Jamaica, and apples in Vermont. Processing the worldly ingredients is quickly handled, a pie is baked, and friends are invited to share. A look around the table reveals children from all of the countries in which the foods have been found. A recipe for apple pie appears on the last page. The brightly colored pictures are fanciful, revealing cheerful, busy people working in towns, fields, and forests of the various countries. The purposeful girl in a green pinafore collects her ingredients with enthusiasm and good cheer. A lighthearted, pleasurable selection.
Carolyn Jenks, First Parish Unitarian Church, Portland, ME
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (February 22, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679837051
• ISBN-13: 978-0679837053
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 0.4 x 9.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #974,188 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars or How To Inspire and Enlighten Children About the World!, December 21, 1999

By 

Dawn Woolcott (Vancouver WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World (Dragonfly Books) (Paperback)

A beautifully illustrated book that will provide entertainment as well as many learning opportunities as you travel the world in search of the ingredients necessary to bake an apple pie. Children learn that food does not come from the grocery store - it has to be grown, harvested, milled, and prepared before it arrives magically on the dinner table. Your children may come to a new appreciation for the things normally taken for granted, and learn valuable geography lessons in the process. Maps and suggestions for an apple tasting party are included. I love this book!

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful story about the World and Food!, August 23, 2002

By 

Erin O. (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World (Dragonfly Books) (Paperback)

"How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World" is a truly delightful book. A young lady attempts to make an apple pie only to discover that her neighborhood grocery store is closed. She then goes home packs a bag and takes her readers on a globe trotting journey to gather the necessary ingredients. She takes her readers to far corners of the globe to gather fresh spices, seawater to make salt, and always-fresh apples.

This is a wonderful story to share with a young child. It will help to expose young children to global interest and how food arrives in their own homes. The book also includes a map to help readers find where they have been taken on their journey. A wonderful story for adults and children!

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hmmm Hmmm Good, December 23, 1999

By 

M. Luke (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World (Dragonfly Books) (Paperback)

My five year old, my wife, and I loved the story. The plot was zany enough to catch my child's attention. Good wholesome reading and eating. If you read it, make sure you have apple pie (and ice cream if you wish) ready.