I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie

A Thanksgiving-themed adaptation of the classic cumulative rhyme "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," this picture book follows an elderly dinner guest with an insatiable appetite. The story tracks her consumption of increasingly large portions of holiday foods during a family gathering. The rhyming text maintains the structure of the original song while incorporating traditional Thanksgiving dishes and seasonal treats. Illustrations by Judith Byron Schachner depict the expanding old lady amid scenes of holiday chaos and bewildered onlookers. The narrative builds tension through escalating food choices and their consequences, carrying forward the absurdist humor of its source material. While aimed at young children, the book includes enough sophisticated touches to engage adult readers sharing the story. This holiday spin on a familiar tale explores themes of excess, celebration, and the sometimes chaotic nature of family gatherings. The book serves as both an entertaining seasonal read-aloud and a gentle satire of holiday overindulgence.

Readers describe this book as a Thanksgiving-themed parody of "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." Parents and teachers report using it as a read-aloud during holiday lessons. Readers liked: - Humorous rhyming text that children can chant along - Illustrations showing the old lady growing larger with each item eaten - Works well for ages 4-8 - Good for teaching sequencing to young students Common criticisms: - Some find it too similar to the original song without enough innovation - A few parents note the ending might frighten sensitive children - Some mention it's too short for the price Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (1,100+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (240+ ratings) One teacher noted: "My first graders request this book multiple times during November." A parent reviewer wrote: "The illustrations tell half the story - my kids love watching her expand page by page."

Today I Ate a Rainbow by Kia Robertson A child learns about different foods through a pattern of eating colorful items, similar to the cumulative style of the pie-swallowing story.

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams A woman encounters items of clothing that move and make sounds in a cumulative tale that builds to a pumpkin-headed surprise.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff One action leads to another in this circular tale of a mouse's snack-related requests, following a pattern of cause and effect.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Taback The classic folk song comes to life with die-cut pages that show the contents of the old lady's stomach as she swallows increasingly larger creatures.

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin A cat loses his buttons one by one in this mathematical countdown story with repetitive phrases.

🥧 The book is a Thanksgiving-themed parody of the classic children's song "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," featuring an elderly woman with an endless appetite for holiday dishes. 🎨 Illustrator Judith Byron Schachner brought the story to life with vibrant, humorous watercolor illustrations that earned her recognition from the National Education Association. 📚 Author Alison Jackson has written several other children's book parodies, including "I Know an Old Teacher" and "I Know a Librarian Who Chewed on a Word." 🦃 The cumulative nature of the story (where each verse builds on previous ones) helps children develop memory and sequencing skills while learning about traditional Thanksgiving foods. 🗣️ The book has become a popular read-aloud choice for elementary school teachers during the Thanksgiving season, as its rhythmic text encourages audience participation and prediction.