"A" Was Once An Apple Pie [Hardcover]

Edward Lear (Author), Suse Macdonald (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up

Handpainted cut paper artwork by Caldecott winner Suse Macdonald illustrates this stunning adaptation of Edward Lear's classic ABC rhyme.

A was once an apple pie,
Piedy
Widey
Tidy
Piedy
Nice insidey, APPLE PIE!

Suse MacDonald adapts Edward Lear's fun-to-say, alphabet rhyme in a picture book that combines the classic with the up-to-date. Bright, bold illustrations are created with handpainted cut paper. A Bear sniffs an Apple pie, a Cat and Dog are friends, an Eel and Fish share an ocean,
a Goose spills a bottle of Ink, while a Hen laughs and later a Mouse is observed by an Owl in a Nest!
A stunning book!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"A was once an apple pie, / Pidy / Widy / Tidy / Pidy / Nice insidy / Apple pie." So begins Lear's alphabet, a beguiling collection of verses that stretch poetry, language and meaning but wisely opt for silliness instead of outright nonsense. The result is a rhythmic, lilting progression full of simple, childlike images and the sort of fanciful wordplay that children revel in. Lacome's ( Funny Business ; Hocus Pocus ) bright, bold illustrations are a happy match, containing hints of whimsy that complement without overpowering the playfulness of the rhymes. They have a clean, crisp, yet varied design and a quietly folksy feel. Ages 2-up.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. PreSchool-Grade 2–Lear's verse explored the outer limits of the English language in 1871. Now MacDonald uses her acute sense of design and whimsy to introduce another generation to Lear's work. Children will delight in the zany lyrics that, for full effect, should be read aloud and repeated by a young audience. The illustrations are folksy paper collages–think Eric Carle–with large, bright shapes. A perfect match for Lear's sheer daring, MacDonald's art sometimes spills across the margin of one page onto the next while making connections between one verse and the one on the opposing page. Opening the series of rhymes are A on one page, and B on the other; however, the illustration communicates something of both letters as a large Bear bends over to take a sniff of A's Apple Pie. The pictures communicate with one another and bring a new electricity and excitement to the gigglely, wigglely, gaity in which A was once an apple pie,/pidy, widy, tidy, pidy/nice insidy, apple pie! A must-have for highly spirited read-alouds.–Teresa Pfeifer, Alfred Zanetti Montessori Magnet School, Springfield, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439660564
• ISBN-13: 978-0439660563
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,185,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remembering My favorite book!, May 13, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: A Was Once an Apple Pie (Paperback)

Grammy used to read me this book every visit. I have searched for years to bring this delight to my own three boys. Encourages early reading and poetry lasts a life time.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A was once an apple pie, October 12, 2006

By 

Karyn W "blckwidow8" (Kansas City, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: "A" Was Once An Apple Pie (Hardcover)

This book covers the alphabet with lyrical poems for each letter and fun illustrations. Some choices for words won't be the best for children who don't read yet, like Lark for L (which looks like a bird and makes me think B) but the overall sing song nature of the text and lovely illustrations will engage many young readers and listeners.