Derek Munson works as a writer, speaker, and all-around daydreamer. His current hobbies include playing with his kids, avoiding his household responsibilities, and crashing on his mountain bike. He lives in Bellingham, Washington with his wife Suzanne, their daughter Abby, their son Zack, and Roger the family dog.
While very entertaining, this picture book didn't hold our (that's mine and my four-year-old almost-nephew) attention as other books do, perhaps because early enough in the story we saw Dad's plan coming, hence spoiling the surprise.
The story starts when Jeremy Ross moves to the neighborhood and ruins the perfect summer of our young protagonist.
All on their own, stories dealing with children declaring new arrivals their enemies, a.k.a. that we don't know we fear and despise, are a whole sub-genre. And this book sits comfortably among them. And as most of those stories go, this one also gets resolved once the protagonist gives the new comer a chance to become a friend.
In this case, the catalyst for that getting-to-know-you moment is Dad's Enemy Pie's recipe.
The thing is, it takes little to figure out that the Enemy Pie is not what we first suspect but mostly a clever way to help a young boy take a chance on a new friend. Yet, the first person narrative and Calahan King's wonderful illustrations do carry the reader along with ease, even if the ultimate revealation and resolution do lack some of the needed surprising element.
All in all, I think that I didn't find this book as charming as others I've read recently mostly because of my almost-nephew opinion of it, which was a mere "you can read it to me but fast, OK?" instead of his regular delight at me taking a turn as bedtime reader.
Very interesting approach of how to make new friends. A young boy tells his father about his number one enemy. His father very wisely suggests a playdate with his enemy for a whole day and then dinner and serving his enemy a magic pie that eliminates enemies. Only this pie transforms bad enemies into best friends!
Father is an excellent story character and I wonder if he is a single parent. There is no mother mentioned.
The best way to get rid of an enemy is to make them your friend. I really liked this story, but I wasn't too keen on the artwork. The big-headed kids with eyes nearly on the sides of their heads reminded me of fish.
It is natural for us to meet people we may not get along with. I like that the father came up with a little something to help solve his child’s problem.
I first read this book the other day; not to my child or class but to my girlfriend. Two adults sat in bed and read Enemy Pie and thoroughly loved it, and this was not only because the father in the story looked like my girlfriend's dad. The illustrations have a delightful style and the story is wonderfully written.
The story concerns a young boy who does not like the new boy down the street, declaring him enemy number one. In need of advice the boy turns to his father for help, who digs out his old, crinkled, secret recipe for Enemy Pie! The plan is to feed it to the enemy, but there is a part of the plan that only the young boy can do: before the pie is eaten, the boy must spend a full day with his enemy, "pretending to have fun." From this brief description, I'm sure many adults would predict the ending, but for children I would hope the relief that comes after threats of poisoning is a pleasant surprise and educational at the same time.
The one downside to this book that I can see is its length. The book has a lot of pages and a lot of words and for a Pre-school or Foundation class, may be too long, even if the social lesson is best directed at their age group. I would recommend leaving this fun and amusing read until you can be sure of a child or class' prolonged concentration
Wonderful story. This story is about a young boy who has an enemy: Jeremy Ross. He tells his father about him, and dad suggests baking him an "enemy pie". While dad bakes it, and before giving it to his enemy, he must spend one day with Jeremy. Will they get along? Was he right making him his #1 (and only) enemy? What is the pie made of? What will happen when Jeremy eats it!?!?!
Enemy Pie is so cute and so relevant. I read this with my sassy, feisty, loving, ‘leader’ 6 year old. She loved it too. The book made lots of room for talk on getting to know people better before making judgements on them.
Watched on youtube, got the impression it's long/wordy. But still effective, if just a little too obvious to experienced readers. I certainly hope, by the end, that no child is still confused.
I do wonder if Dad's recipe would work on real-life bullies?
As a high school student i thought this book was easy and interesting to read. This book was easy and interesting to read. It's mainly about the main character trying to find a way to get rid of his enemy jeremy ross. So he learns that in order for this to work he needs to spend a whole day with him, but when he got to know him he realized that he wasn't so bad and they could be friends.
It's a lesson learning book, it's best for elemantary kids to read. They will learn a lesson from Enemy pie and it can change their point of view on other children. A teacher would choose this book to teach her class a lesson on how to get along. The point of this story was to say you might have an enemy that will be your friend in the end. For examlpe when the main character invites jeremy ross to his house to eat pie.
The thing I enjoyed about this book would be how it gives you a good lesson especially for the kids, about the main character and jeremy ross getting along. There was nothing I disliked about this book that why i picked as my first book to read.
Per my second graders: I liked it because my favorite food is pie! I liked it when he said, "Don't eat the pie! It may be poisoned!" I liked it because it showed you how to make friends! The pie looked good.
This was a very cute book that essentially taught me something. The book deals with enemies and how to make them your friend. The illustrations are a bit morbid but cute all the same and the lesson is truly memorable.
Anticipating the best summer ever, the young narrator of this engaging picture-book about turning enemies into friends laments the arrival of new boy Jeremy Ross in his neighborhood. Although they don't get off to the best start - Jeremy laughs at him when he is struck out in a game of baseball, and doesn't invite him to his trampoline party - the boy's wise father tells him he has the perfect way to deal with enemies: Enemy Pie. But in order to convince Jeremy to eat it, first the boy must spend an entire day with him...
Apparently author Derek Munson's children's book debut, Enemy Pie is an engaging story about social dynamics among young boys, and offers a well-told, non-preachy lesson about building friendships, even when we haven't gotten off to the best start with newcomers. Although perceptive readers will know ahead of time where the story is going - it's fairly clear from the start what Dad is up to in the story - it is still entertaining to see the young boy-narrator get to the conclusion. Although the artwork by Tara Calahan King is not really my cup of tea, I thought it did capture the humor of the story. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about building bridges, and turning enemies into friends.
This is a sweet story about getting rid of an enemy. The resolution to the story is completely obvious to the reader long before it is to the main character in the story.
I love that the father teaches his son to be kind and channel his frustration in a positive way. The illustrations are colorful and fun and we really enjoyed reading this book together.
Our daughters love this book and say that they've read this book in school several times. They like watching it on Tumblebooks, too.
This is a very clever non moralizing friendship tale that both me and my five year old enjoyed immensely. It has the same theme as Chester's Way, another big favorite of ours, but the approach is bit different. I was so satisfied with this book that I would probably rate if five stars if only the illustrations had been more to my taste. They're fine, but I found the grotesque heads a little distracting, even if they were somewhat expressive.
On a podcast episode of The Sporkful, LeVar Burton said this is one of his favorite kids books, so I had to give it a try. And maybe I'm just having one of those 'I'll cry at ANYTHING days,' but I loved this book so much that it made me cry. Which is maybe something I shouldn't do at my work desk. But too bad. This book is great.
The narrator thinks his new neighbor Jeremy is his enemy until they spend a full day together. It's a good story about how sometimes first impressions are wrong, but frankly I've known lots of people I would still hate after a day together. What do you tell a kid when the enemy pie doesn't work???
This is a charming and very unique story of making a new friend when a boy sees that in his new supposed enemy with the help of a special pie recipe. A (100%/Outstanding)
1) Everything was perfect and the summer had started out great, until Jeremy Ross moved into a new neighborhood, and became enemy number one of all the neighborhood kids, being the new kid on the block. However, the narrator's dad had a great idea of how to handle these enemies, a secret recipe of...Enemy Pie! Therefore, he said while he is cooking, you must spend the entire day with Jeremy....and be nice to him! Therefore him and Jeremy end up spending time together, and actually figured out they like eachother, and figuring out in the end that the dad didn't actually make an "enemy pie", but it was just a means for them to get along with eachother, but it worked! 2) Grade level: Preschool-7th grade, Age Level: 5-8 years 3) This could be used to teach conflict resolution to children that through solving problems and being nice, you might make a new friend. 4) Individual students who might benefit from this book would be students that do not like meeting new people or have trouble with turning strangers into friends, and including everyone in with whatever everyone is doing. 5) This book could be used in a literature circle through a lesson on getting to know each other in small groups and taking the time to go out of our way to be kind to someone. Maybe put the students with groups of people they don't get along with or don't necessarily talk to at school and let them discuss this story. 6) As a matter of whole class use, this book would be a great story to use at the beginning of the school year or when there are new students come to the class to remind the kids the importance of getting to know new people before making judgements. 7) Related Books: Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun, The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, and The Juice Box Bully 8) There is no movie or audible version available of this book, however if you go onto YouTube there are videos of the book being read, which you could do if you didn't have the actual book.
Enemy Pie is a fantastic way to teach students about friendship. Throughout the book the main character, a young boy, struggles with his feelings toward Jeremy Ross, a boy who just moved into the neighborhood. The boy convinces himself that Jeremy Ross is his number one enemy. With the help of his dad, he bakes a pie with magic powers to serve to his enemy and get rid of him once and for all. The author does a remarkable job relating the two characters to children who often have the same feelings when meeting someone for the first time. After spending quality time together, the two children become great friends. This is a perfect example for students, demonstrating that you shouldn’t judge a person until you’ve truly gotten to know one another. The author establishes a central message of friendship, which I think would be a perfect fit for k-2. I think Enemy Pie would be a great realistic fiction book for teachers to read aloud at the beginning of the year, as students meet new classmates. Students could brainstorm characteristics of a good friend and compare and contrast them to characteristics of a bad friend. Students could also use this book when learning about problem and solution, or could even write a recipe for friendship. As a first grade teacher, this book stood out as a WOW book because of the central message of friendship. For young students who are just starting out at school and meeting so many new faces, it’s important for them to bond with others and make friendships. For those who might struggle with making friends, I thought this was a great illustration of how you can’t always stand back and wait for someone to invite you to play. Sometimes you have to step out of your convert zone and approach the other person. This is definitely a book that I am eager to share with my students and one that we can reference all year long.
The book of "Enemy Pie" by Derek Munson is mostly about conflict in friendships. Enemy Pie is about a boy who at a young age already has an enemy. For the most dumpiest reason ever ( example in pg 4) . Because a Boy Name Jeremy Ross laughed at him when Jeremy strikes him out. He gets upset and call Jeremy one of his enemies ,his only enemy. He tells his father about him and his father says he has a perfect way to get rid off enemies. The audience best to the book "Enemy Pie" is for kids ages or grade level 7-10 age and kinder-fifth grade. Because is will show kids the problem in friend ship problems. Also have them a better understanding at a young age for later in life they wont get hurt. Also for the teachers in those grades. The parent could also be the ones to explain because they will be to see what they can do for thee kids. When a problem like that comes along. The theme of the book is to express the friendship and conflict in a friendship relationship. Also that they can start bad but over time can improve with a little understanding and knowing of people. I personally in my opinion enjoyed reading the book "Enemy Pie" because know i have an understanding on how to handle a situation like those with little kids. Also gave me an eye opening on how to talk and meet a person before judging them.
Enemy Pie is a wonderful story about a little boy who bakes a pie for his enemy, only to realize through the process that his enemy is actually is friend. He enlists the help of his father to help him bake a horrible pie for his enemy, Jeremy Ross. As his father bakes this “Enemy Pie,” he is told that in order for the pie to work, he needs to spend a whole day with his enemy. As he plays with his Enemy Number One, the main character realizes he doesn’t want to make him eat something awful, and stops him just in time—only to realize that the pie didn’t have anything terrible in it, after all. This story is a picture book, and it includes many quirky, fun illustrations throughout the story. It would be excellent in teaching social skills among a class that has some issues among each other, either in the classroom, at recess, or after school. It could be used to discuss how people who we didn’t get along with initially can later become our friends—and this story can help kids learn how that process might work. It could also be useful in teaching inferences, using a conversation as to whether or not the “Enemy Pie” might actually do something bad to an enemy, or if it’s really just a normal pie. I would use it for any grade, but it would likely be best suited for grades K-3.
Enemy Pie is a realistic fiction read aloud enjoyable for all ages.Students find the character to be very relatable, as he tells a sweet story of turning his number one enemy into a new friend. The boy was excited about his summer until he found out that Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street. Jeremy Ross becomes his number one enemy, but dad comes to the rescues and reveals that he has a special way of getting rid of enemies, enemy pie. Though, enemy pie only works if you spend an entire day with your enemy. Enemy Pie by Derek Munson is a WOW book because any lover of children’s literature cannot resist the adorable illustrations by Tara King. I love using this book as a read aloud because it helps illustrate the importance of treating everyone with kindness and respect. This book can also be used as a read aloud for mini lessons on problem and solution. Students can identify the problem in the story, and then explain how the problem was solved. In addition, this book can be used for common core standards 2.RL.3, 3.RL.3, to describe how characters respond to major events and challenges in a text. In the end students can take away the meaningful lesson, “The best way to defeat your enemy is to make them your friend”
'Enemy Pie' is all about getting to know people you *think* you dislike, even though you don't know them at all! This story is a good reminder to children and adults to not judge someone before you know who they are. Sometimes children are better at this than adults, as they can be very open and accepting and not notice some differences that make many adults stop and assume the worst. However, sometimes they let petty differences (Like Jeremy Ross being the new, fun kid in the book) make them illogically upset at someone without taking the time to know them. This also brings us to the major problems we often see in today's world of judging someone just by their clothing, religion, sexual identities, birthplace, etc. Too many adults think of those different from them as their "enemy" or even just suspicious. What if we sat down to eat pie with them and got to know them? They may be more like us than we realize. Another aspect of the book that is perfect for text-to-world is the way the parent reacted. He did not preach or yell or simply give advice. He creatively found a way to show his son that we must get to know a person before deciding they are our enemy. And teaching children in these sorts of ways always make the lesson one they actually learn from.
*Watched the reading of this story on storylineonline.net* Enemy Pie by Derek Munson is about a young boy who is having the best summer ever until Jeremy Ross moves into the neighborhood. Jeremy soon becomes the boy’s number one enemy. The boy asks his dad for help and his dad has the perfect fix, a secret recipe for Enemy Pie. It’s so secret in fact that the boy must go out and play while his dad makes the pie. The boy ends up playing with Jeremy Ross, his enemy, and it turns out they have a great time together. And when it comes time to eat the pie, the boy is afraid that something terrible will happen to his new friend. In the end, the boy not only has a new friend but he also had one less person on his enemy list (he only had one to begin with). This is a endearing story that is perfect for kindergarten through second grade. It teaches a great lesson on getting to know new people, and it is a situation I’m sure many students can relate to. It may be a good story to use at the beginning of the school year or when there are new students come to the class to remind kids the importance of getting to know new people before making judgments.
When I first saw the childerns book ,Enemy Pie by Derek Munson,It did not seem interesting for me to read.It was the kind of books that i usualy dont read, or even look at.To me it was just another little kids story for childern under the age of 6.But as i read enemy pie ,i literaly began to like it and laughed on some parts that the main character was going through.I could easily see my self in those type of situations,thinking that someone would ruin something for me,or why that to come up in those moments.I connected with the main character because I had gone through moments ,or situations like that as I was growing up.Enemy Pie, is not only for young childern ,I say it fits well opther age groups.to him being the almost perfect summer ever,all changes when ,Jeremy Ross, moves in down the street in the nieghborhood.Jeremy turns into the main chartactor first new enemy,as he turns to his father for advice,He comes up with an old recipe called, enemy pie.For the enemy pie to work there is catch to it!He has to spend a whole day with his enemy!If you want to know what happens ,I recommend you to please read ,Enemy Pie!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The book Enemy Pie is bases on a young kid that has an enemy that he doesn't like. He comments to his father that he doesn't really like him and so his father decides to give him a suggestion in order for him to get along with his enemy. His suggestion was to bake a cake and give it to his enemy. This little boy wasn't sure why his father wanted to bake him a pie and be nice. In my opinion this book is a great example for little kids of a young elementary age because it gives them more like a lesson or moral. A moral in saying like not to judge a book by its cover which can consist to a little kid not judging a person without even knowing them. When I was a young girl I would have wished to have read this book because I remember myself having a best friend in elementary and I got mad because she decided to get a new friend and I got mad. I Myself started judging the little girl without knowing her just because she became friends with my best friend. This would have been a god book because it teaches young kids that n reality you will never have enemies.
This is a story of how to become best friends with your one and only enemy!!!
When Jeremy Ross came to the neighborhood it was no good news to the main character. He seemed to be friends with the other kids except him, so he decided to identify Jeremy Ross as his one and only enemy. When Dad told him about a pie that would help him get rid of enemies, the boy was very interested. There was just one important thing for Enemy Pie to work, he had to spend one whole day being nice to his enemy. As the day goes by both boys spend time together and something special happens!
Derek Munson shows us that sometimes, for an "enemy" to become our friend, we need to give the first step. Told in a sweet and entertaining way it keeps us waiting for what will happen next! This story is good for kids of all ages and it is great for read aloud and for teachers to have in their library for independent reading. Students can complete a story map, sequence of events and/or a cause and effect activity.
Enemy Pie is a story about giving yourself a chance to make new friends and I loved it!
This is a great story to read to young children about enemies and not judging a book by their cover. The main character, a little boy, initially dislikes his new neighbor Jeremy Ross and subsequently declares him an enemy. When the little boy discussed his new enemy with his father, his father knew exactly what to do, make an enemy pie. Over the course of the rest of the book the little boy realizes he has more in common with Jeremy and that Jeremy was not as bad as he initially thought. I would definitely add this book to my classroom library and read it to the class. It would also be a good book to practice make predictions.