Enemy Pie (Reading Rainbow book)

Stars: Theme
Age: Primary, Intermediate

This book is a good example of realistic fiction because all of the events could happen in real life. It is very common for children to dislike somebody at first, but to eventually become good friends with them. The boys in this book are fictional characters,

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making the book literary, rather than biographical.

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A little boy strugles with a new neighbor who is not the nicest person to him. He eventually learns to forgive his neighbor and they surprisingly take a turn to become best friends.
-Lesson in forgiveness
-Grades 1-6
-Great for fathers to teach thier children the meaning of forgiveness and friendship

This is a great book for teaching children about how to deal with conflicts and friendships. It teaches children how to make their enemies their friends. This is appropriate for grades kindergarten to third grade.

This is a great book!!! This book is about a young boy who has an enemy and wants to find a way to get rid of him or to get revenge on him. The father and son come up with a great idea to get back at the enemy and it involves making an enemy pie. What the boy doesn't know is that while the dad is

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making the pie, the boy has to go aqnd pretend to be friends with his enemy. As time goes on, the boy realizes that his enemy isn't so bad after all and that they actually do have a lot in common with each other. In the end a friendship is made and the enemy pie only brings them closer together!

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The main character in this book only has one enemy – Jeremy Ross. That boy drives him crazy and he finally goes to his dad with his troubles. His dad suggests that they make enemy pie. His dad agrees to make the pie (which has a top secret recipe and is guaranteed to get rid of any enemy) but the

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boy has to spend the day with Jeremy for the enemy pie to work. The boy reluctantly agrees. By the end of the day, he realizes that he likes hanging out with Jeremy and is really worried when Jeremy starts to eat the pie. After they all finish a big slice, the boy decides that he doesn’t know if enemy pie works or not because by the time Jeremy ate it, he was a friend not an enemy. This is great story to tell the classic message of “kill em with kindness”.

I know that at this point in the school year, my students are easily upset and constantly bickering. I think a book like this would be great to use to remind them that we can all be friends if we try to see the good in the other person rather than focusing on what we don’t like about them.

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One boy learns how to use a special pie recipe to deal with his enemy. A great read aloud for classes to open discussions on friendship.

Enemy Pie, written by Derek Munson and illustrated by Tara Calahan King, is an amusing tale about how to turn worst enemies into real friends. The story starts when Jeremy Ross moves into the neighborhood, upsetting the narrator; as the little boy tells his father about this “enemy,” the father

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reassures his son that he knows the best way to get rid of enemies: “enemy pie.” The father tricks his son into spending a whole day with the boy’s nemesis and the boys actually become friends; later, the father tells his son to invite Jeremy over for dinner, at which point the dad feeds everyone a delicious pie – the “enemy pie” of the title, which isn’t really for enemies at all. Although the boy never quite figures out his father’s recipe for “getting rid of enemies,” the reader will undoubtedly learn a thing or two about friendship from this clever story.

Enemy Pie is definitely a story aimed at elementary school boys, with sports, throwing water balloons at girls, and bringing earthworms from the garden into the kitchen; however, the complex lesson at the heart of the story (that enemies are only friends waiting to be converted) is one that will appeal to older children of both genders – and, perhaps, their parents, as well. Although King’s illustrations of people can be a bit off-putting (seeing eyes drawn so far apart on the faces of characters in the story is unintentionally disturbing), her attention to detail for settings is truly impressive. Overall, though, King’s illustrations (like Munson’s story) are strangely endearing – almost like the awkwardness that the young boy faces, as he converts an enemy into a friend. As a whole, Enemy Pie is an intelligent story with a cunning twist that might just teach a thing or two to readers of all ages.

Citation:
Munson, Derek, and Tara Calahan King. Enemy Pie. San Francisco: Chronicle, 2000. Print.

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This is a great book!!! This book is about a young boy who has an enemy and wants to find a way to get rid of him or to get revenge on him. The father and son come up with a great idea to get back at the enemy and it involves making an enemy pie. What the boy doesn't know is that while the dad is

Show More

making the pie, the boy has to go aqnd pretend to be friends with his enemy. As time goes on, the boy realizes that his enemy isn't so bad after all and that they actually do have a lot in common with each other. In the end a friendship is made and the enemy pie only brings them closer together!

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I thought this book was clever. The father found a sneaky way to push his son a little in order to realize that his number one enemy could really be his friend. The writing, characters, and illustrations made the book fun and engaging for children.

The story was written in first person. The boy is

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upset because a new boy has move into the neighborhood and he does not seem very nice to the main character. He believes that his whole summer is ruin because of Jeremy Ross. The boy then claims the Jeremy is his Enemy #1. The boy’s father tells him that he has a secret recipe for enemy pie and that he can solve the problem of Jeremy Ross. Seeing the story from the boy’s perspective makes it so very real. A great example is when he says, “what kind of things-disgusting things –would I put into a pie for an enemy? I brought Dad some weeds from the garden, but he shook his head. I brought him earthworms and rocks, but he didn’t think he needed those.” What a great way to explain how much you do not like Enemy #1. It was also interesting to read and follow the thought process as Jeremy goes from enemy to friend.

The illustrations were bright and fun. It followed the text perfectly. The illustrations help readers to follow the story and make it exciting to read. The facial expressions on the boys change as the story goes along. The expressions themselves could tell the story. The very last page has the boys jumping on Jeremy’s trampoline with bright, happy smiles!

This book does a great job explaining to children that you have to give others a chance. You have to take time to get to know others and you maybe surprised what you find. What is the old adage, “You cannot judge a book by its cover?”

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Age Appropriateness: Primary
Genre:This book is a great example of realistic fiction because it can teach children how to make friends out of enemies. The boy in this book goes through very similar things that children are faced with when making friends. The author makes the characters very

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plausible and the reader is able to feel how the boy is feeling about spending a whole day with someone he saw as his enemy, but turned into a friend.

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Sometimes we assume someone as our enemy without really trying to befriend them first. This book shows how easy it is to get along with others when we really try. The book tells of a young boy and his dad who make a pie to get revenge on Jeremy (the enemy), but the pie may end up being a delightful

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treat in the end!

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Enemy Pie is a picturebook with universal appeal; it deals with how to handle conflict and relationships. The narrator's (a young boy) summer is quickly ruined as Jeremy Ross moves into the neighborhood. Jeremy strikes him out in baseball and hangs out with his best friend, making the boy see him

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as his number one enemy. The boy's solution on how to get rid of his enemy comes from his dad who makes an enemy pie. Part of the requirement is the boy has to hangout with Jeremy for a day and be nice to him. The boy quickly learns that he and his enemy have a lot in common and might actual be friends. Children will identify with the narrator's feelings of being left out and it shares a great message of not to judge someone before getting to know them. The illustrations are vibrant and add to the story's emotions. This a great book read aloud book, especially when discussing bullying and friendship.

Age Appropriateness: Kindergarten- 3rd grade
This story could be used through all grades, not just primary, to emphasize not to make judgement on people before getting to know them.

Munson, D. (2000). Enemy pie. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

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Overall, I thought this story was humorous, fun, and sent a good message. I liked how the main character confided in his Dad for advice on how to deal with his enemy. Another aspect I liked was that the author built up the hype of enemy pie. I knew that by this, the main character’s Dad was

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trying to get the attention of his son to confront his enemy and play with him for a day. At the point of the Dad making an “enemy pie” that had normal ingredients in it, as a reader I realized the big theme of the story. The big idea was to give people a second chance and that you can be mislead by people. Also, that it is not the right thing to manipulate people, even if you think they are your enemy.
The second that the main character gave his enemy a chance he found that they weren’t enemies at all. I enjoyed the dialogue that was proclaimed between the boys. The joyful attitudes assured the reader that they were becoming friends. It was playful and realistic. I admired how the author made the characters bond between throwing water balloons, eating mac and cheese, and hanging out in the tree house. It was really humorous at the end of the story how the Dad was eating the “enemy pie” he had made and suggested to his son, he knew that by doing this, the pie wasn’t dangerous. The illustration at the end made me want to try the enemy pie, it looked like a normal delicious pie, and it was! I admired that the main character was on the trampoline with his ex-enemy in the last page of the story because it began with the main character being so angry with Jeremy Ross for not being invited to play on the trampoline.

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In my opinion, this is a great book. The language is descriptive and creates powerful imagery. For example, the author says, "I went out to play, alone. I shot baskets until the ball got stuck on the roof. I threw a boomerang that never came back to me. And all the while, I listened to the sounds

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of my dad chopping and stirring and blending the ingredients of Enemy Pie" I could picture the main character playing in the driveway alone just anxiously waiting for the pie to be finished. Also, the illustrations enhance the story. The story was written in first person, from the main character's point of view and the drawings look as though they were created by a child because of the unusual proportions and coloring. With the illustrations and the first person point of view combined, it seems as though the child wrote and illustrated the story. The main idea of this book is that enemies can turn into friends if you are nice to them and give them a chance.

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I really liked this book because I felt that it taught a very useful lesson for younger children. The plot of the story was very suspenseful because throughout the story, the reader wonders what exactly "enemy pie" will do to the enemy. I think the story is very realistic as well because many

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children have the issue of not getting along with somebody, and this is a good story for them to be able to relate to. The message of this story is that although you may not get along with somebody, sometimes all it takes is spending some time to get to know them, and you will realize that they aren't so bad after all.

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I thought this book was a cute story for children to learn not to judge others too quickly and to reach out to others and make friends. The main character in the story decided Jeremy Ross was his enemy for no apparent reason. The plot interested me because the child was convinced his father was

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helping him plot revenge against Jeremy Ross, when he was actually promoting a friendship. The book took the idea of having enemies and showed that taking the time to get to know someone can change your view of them. I thought the characters were very realistic and relatable for younger children. I can remember being young and deciding I would not become friends with someone without having good reasons. Children can identify with being quick to judge or being a new kid in town. The story had a wonderful message that it is not good to make enemies and that everyone deserves a chance to become a friend.

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I really liked Enemy Pie! I thought it was a great book for many reasons including the big idea/message it portrayed. My favorite thing about this book was the writing. Throughout the reading I wanted to know what was in enemy pie and how it was going to help the boy get rid of his enemy, Jeremy

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Ross. I think that the author built the conflict up very well and then the solution was humorous and appropriate. I also liked that this book was written in first person, especially as the story progressed. The beginning of the story the focus was on the main character/narrator but as the story progressed he began to use “we” or “us” and describe all the fun activities that he and his enemy did together. I think this allowed for readers to see themselves in the narrator’s shoes. These characters are the reader’s age, and they are very believable. Many children have difficulties when a new child moves in their neighborhood or joins their class. I think that these characters are very relatable for children as they could imagine a situation in which they felt the same as the narrator. The big idea/message of this story is the difficulties and rewards of making new friends.

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It was used as a read-aloud for a 4th grade class and they loved it! They were very engaged in it and it's a fun way to present the theme of getting to know people before you judge them or turn them into your enemy.

I liked this book for two reasons. One reason I liked this book was for the plot of the story. Throughout the whole book, you think that the enemy pie that his dad is making will be something terrible and make Jeremy upset. This keeps you engaged in the story because of what you are anticipating.

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However, you realize that the enemy pie was just a ploy for the boy's dad to get the boy to spend time with Jeremy to see that he isn't so bad which was a really good twist in the story. Another reason I liked this book was for the main character. The main character in this story is really relatable because everyone has had a time when we may not have liked someone and wanted to do something about it. Overall, the main idea of this story is give everyone a chance because you never know how they may really be like and you might end up really liking them.

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Clever. A great book about friendship. Highly recommended.

Lots of questions can come up with this book, such as what the students think about the title, and how their thinking changes as they read the book.

I loved the message that this book taught children. A young boy really hates the new boy in his neighborhood without ever giving him a chance. His father tells him he will make him an enemy pie, which will make all your enemies go away. For the pie to work, you have to spend a whole day being nice

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to your enemy. The boys become friends and learn the pie was just a regular cherry pie. But spending the day together made them realize they like each other and want to be friends. I love the message of giving everyone a fair chance and it was very relatable to young boys. They do lots of activities throughout the day that kids love. However, every child in the book (there were several) was a white boy. There were not other genders or races represented in the story.

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I love this book because it was very heartwarming and uplifting. I loved the message behind the story, which is that you shouldn't just assume things about people and that someone you don't like can actually become your best friend. In this story, a boy named Jeremy moves into the little boy's

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neighborhood. Jeremy is deemed the boy's number one enemy. The boy's father tells his son that he will make enemy pie for Jeremy, which will definitely scare him away. However, the way the father went about telling his son how to make enemy pie work was just a way to trick him into being nice to Jeremy. It was very uplifting to find out that the little boy and Jeremy actually really liked one another. For adults, it is easy to catch on right away that nothing is actually wrong with the pie, the father just wants his son to give Jeremy a chance. For kids, however, they might not understand that the whole idea behind the pie was to bring the boys together and they could be surprised at the end to find out that there was nothing wrong with the pie after all. For this, the characters made the plot of the story very enjoyable. The illustrations in the story were also eye-catching and fun. Students would really enjoy all of the ways the characters are portrayed and the angles some of the pictures are shown at.

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I liked this book for the message is has. The big takeaway form this story is that we shouldn't have enemies, especially when we have no reason to dislike that person! The main character, a young boy, begins to dislike a new kid in the neighborhood who does not invite him to hang out. The young boy

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decides they are now enemies and asks his dad how to handle the situation, who responds by saying he should make his enemy an Enemy Pie. While the boy doesn't know what the significance of the Enemy Pie is, he complies. Through the story, this main character learns that he has no real reason to be enemies with this boy, who ends up actually being very friendly. The two boys become pals and when it is time to feed the "enemy" the Enemy Pie, the young boy stops him! He doesn't want his new friend toe at Enemy Pie, it would be wrong! This is a very believable character because sometimes we all feel this way about new people before we get to know them. We watch as the boy develops and changes points of view, which will help children who are going through similar situations. The fact that this story is told form the boy's point of view is important because the reader gets to listen as the boy's opinions changes. Finally, this book pushes readers to consider bigger issues. What if that person you dislike is really a nice person? The big message of this story is that we should always give people a change at friendship and to never be to quick to judge someone.

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