Written by Derek Munson
Illustrated by Tara Calahan King
Published in 2000 by Chronicle Books LLC
Summary: A young boy has a problem with an enemy down the street. He tells his father about his problem and his father tells his son the solution would be to make enemy pie to get rid of enemies. The boy believes enemy pie will be something really horrible, like having worms in it. His father tells him that the trick to making enemy pie work is that he must hang out with his enemy for an entire day. So the boy goes down the street to ask his enemy if he would like to play. After playing for a while, the boy realizes that he is having fun with his enemy and that they have actually become friends. When his father presents the enemy pie to his new friend he is horrified and feels that he must save his new friend from this terrible concoction his father made called enemy pie.
Recommendations for Parents: This is a great book for all young children. Mostly all children experience confrontations with their peers. This is a great book to explain to children that if they give their so called enemies a chance, they might not be so bad after all. The book promotes friendship and also shows are great way for parents to handle situations where their kids are involved with enemies. This book would be particularly good to read to children in the beginning of the school year when they are being introduced to new people.
Recommendations for Teachers: This is a great book to use for prediction and student participation. When the boy's dad is telling him about enemy pie, the teacher can ask the students, "What do you think enemy pie might taste like?" As the story progresses and the boy and his enemy are having fun playing together the teacher could ask the students, "Do you think they are acting like enemies? What do you think is going to happen in the end? How do you think enemy pie might work?" Then once the story is finished ask the students to reflect back on the beginning of the story and what things changed from the beginning to the end.
Teachers Notes: I personally enjoy this book because I believe it is a story that every child can relate to. I think it has a heartwarming message to present to kids and cute illustrations. I think the idea of enemy pie bringing enemies together as friends is such a nice idea.
Written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein
Published in 1981 by Harper Collins Publishers
Summary: This is a collection of silly, funny, creative poems that are fun for children to read. "Picture Puzzle Piece" is a poem about on lonely puzzle piece that could be anything. It could be a blue button on the coat of the old woman who lived in a shoe, and continues to describe what that one puzzle piece could be a part of.
Recommendations for Parents: This book is great to read aloud to children. It introduces the poetry element of literature, promotes rhyme and creativity, and are short for a before bedtime story. Many of the poems can strike up great conversation with your child and bring both parents and children to laugh together. Some of the poems are extremely short and can be good for the child to read aloud to the parent for practice when they are learning how to read.
Recommendations for Teachers: This book is a great way to introduce many literature lessons to children. It includes poetry, rhyme, and fun to read aloud. For upper grades, like fifth grade, the teacher can present an assignment for the children to chose a poem and recreate their own version of the poem. "Picture Puzzle Piece" is a great poem to recreate by changing the images and including both elements of rhyme and alliteration. For lower grades, such as second grade, the teacher can perhaps to an art assignment to go along with the poem. For "Picture Puzzle Piece" the children can think of different puzzle pictures the piece could be from. The teacher could have the students draw a picture and cut it into pieces to create their own puzzle.
Teachers Notes: I personally enjoy the Shel Silverstein series because I remember loving the poems as a child. I thought they were so fun and silly that even when I had friends over we would read the poems and laugh about them together. A personal favorite is "The Meehoo with an Exactlywatt." It is a very funny joke for children to read, and also requires comprehension to understand the punch line. I enjoy "Picture Puzzle Piece" because it is one of the first poems I had to memorize and used as a monologue for a musical theatre audition.