MY BOOKS: Pie's in the Oven

Illustrated by Holly Meade
Illustrations © 1996 by Holly Meade.

When Grandma starts baking pies, everybody drops in for a piece. But will there be any left for her hungry grandson?

"A sweet celebration of family and friends."
Kirkus

Pie's in the Oven FUN FACTS:

The inspiration for this book was my grandmother, Ella Hinson Mohrmann, who was the best pie-baker on earth! The idea came to me all at once. Although I usually revise my manuscripts dozens of times, in this case the first version I jotted down is almost identical to the final book.

It was fun to include some real facts from Grandma's world. For instance, my grandfather, Herman Mohrmann, really was a firefighter. I loved to see him in his uniform. I included the names of many family members and friends who gathered at their house. Most of them are gone now, but they live on - like Grandma's famous pies - in this book.

Holly Meade's delightful illustrations show a country celebration, though in reality, Grandma and Grandpa lived right in the city. But Grandma was a country girl so they seem just right to me!

REVIEWS:

"Although the text is not rhymed, it maintains a steady rhythm, with a cadence reminiscent of square-dance calls. Meade's collages reinforce the country feeling. Leaves falling in many scenes remind viewers of the season, and the flat patches of color in clothing establish individual differences even in the crowd. Together, text and illustrations offer a pleasant choice for young listeners, especially on a crisp autumn day."
  School Library Journal

"A sweet celebration of family and friends. Grandma has made apple pies and they're in the oven. As the irresistible smells fill her rambling old house, her apple-cheeked grandson excitedly longs for his share ("Pie's in the Oven,/My favorite kind!"). Relatives, the letter carrier, neighbors, friends, even an apple- red fire truck full of firemen are all beckoned: "Pie's in the Oven./You're just in time." Soon the house is full of good smells and chatter, milk is poured, plates and forks are set out, the pie is served. Guess who doesn't get any pie? Grandma presents the narrator with a little apple pie, "Just for me!" Meade's sky-blue outlined collages are childlike and appealing, as bright as hand- painted pottery and just as welcoming as the text."
  Kirkus Reviews