Oh me, oh my, a PIE!

This cumulative story has the feel of a traditional tale, as the author-illustrator unfolds a story of greed and sharing. In a kitchen full of fine ingredients and utensils, we see a nice old Grandma who has baked a pie. Foolishly she leaves it on the windowsill to cool… and, of course, it is stolen! A fox comes by with greedy eyes. “YUM! YUM! What a surprise! Oh me, oh my,” he is delighted with his pie. As he hurriedly hurtles into plant pots, his pie flies up into the sky. It somersaults and lands near a mouse, who can’t believe his luck. “Oh me, oh my, this pie smells yummy, I want this pie inside my tummy.” Rolling it down the street, his pie is next stolen by a greedy cat… then WOOF! WOOF! WOOF! Dog decides the pie is meant for him. Turn the page and we watch as fox chases mouse, chasing cat who now is chasing dog. Who finally snatches the tempting pie? But it becomes too heavy, THUD!

This tale goes full circle as it lands back on Grandma’s table, just in time for tea! Five small creatures wail their disappointment, so kindly Grandma invites them to join her. The ending is a surprise in itself, as Fearnley shows all the characters interacting (badly) in the final scene. Every page is full of small details, rewarding further investigation. The cat wears a wonderful kipper tie with fish bone detail, and the mouse sits at table mounted on a cushion atop a pile of books. There is a QR code to scan at the beginning of the book, to hear a free audio reading. This book is lots of fun, and it would make a great subject for drama.