How to Make a Cherry Pie and See the U.S.A.

by Marjorie Priceman

IN THIS EXUBERANT companion story to How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, our young baker sets her sights on a cherry pie. She heads off on a round-the-U.S.A. journey to find all the materials she needs to stock her New Mexico for clay (mixing bowl), Washington for wood (rolling pin), Hawaii for sand (sand? to make the glass for her measuring cup, of course). In joyful art filled with small vignettes and sly humor, two-time Caldecott Honor winner Marjorie Priceman takes us on a cross country journey by riverboat, taxi, bus, train, plane—all in search of the natural resources of our country. Includes a brightly painted endpaper map of the U.S.A.—and a recipe for cherry pie, of course!

Genres: Picture Books, Geography, Food, Childrens, Travel, Storytime, The United States Of America

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 14, 2008

About the author

Marjorie A. Priceman is an American writer or illustrator of more than 30 children's picture books including two Caldecott Honor Books (runners-up for the Caldecott Medal). Her first picture book, Friend or Frog, was published in 1989, soon after her graduation from the Rhode Island School of Design.[citation needed] Priceman's books are known for their bright watercolors, free-flowing lines and whimsical spirit. Her illustrations to When Zaydeh Danced on Eldridge Street (1997) by Elsa Okon Rael have been described as "religiously authentic and playful at the same time".

One of her most popular books is Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin, which she illustrated. She lives in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

I loved Priceman's How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World and maybe if I hadn't read that one first, this would have been a solid four-stars for me. But, I found it a bit lacking in comparison.

In this version, the little girl wants to make a cherry pie. But, the pie shop is closed for 4th of July. So, she sets out across the USA to gather the raw materials needed to make the baking instruments she will need: "New Mexico for clay (mixing bowl), Washington for wood (rolling pin), Hawaii for sand (sand? to make the glass for her measuring cup, of course)." Of course, it's very fun to travel across the country with her and her cute little dog, and maybe kids would simply be fascinated to know that plastic is made from oil and glass is made from sand--I mean, it's cool, right?

I think my boring grown-up brain just got in the way here. I thought it odd that the girl didn't have the instruments to bake a pie but yet had the equipment to turn sand into glass and oil into plastic. Her trip across the country was back-and-forth, not in a logical geographic sequence. She goes to Alaska for no reason except to look around. And, most of all, it was odd she already had the ingredients for the pie but not the equipment. I guess they wanted to go a different direction than the "Apple Pie" book (in which she gathers the ingredients). Then, too, there is the whole "take only memories, leave only footprints" motto to consider as the girl goes from forests to beaches taking raw materials.

Really, this is still a cute little book. I don't want to be too hard on it! I would still recommend it to those who enjoyed the first book, or those looking for a fun geography lesson or insights into the raw materials used to make products. And there's a fun 4th of July parade at the end so it would be a nice one to celebrate the holiday and our vast country.

[Lisa Vegan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a map! I’m a sucker for maps in books. And, this inside covers map is of the U.S. and includes pictures of things

I recently read this author-illustrator’s book How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World and I loved it, so I sought out this book.

It’s a silly but educational story about a girl who wants to bake a cherry pie but she needs a few more things to do that, and the store is closed, so she, and her adorable dog, take a trip across the U.S.A. to procure the necessities. Along the way, the reader will learn about a few states, and other things such as how glass, cotton material for potholders, etc. are made. A link between natural resources and their end product is shown, in a fun way. The dog does the cutest things in many of the illustrations.

The illustrations are glorious. I loved them.

I thought that this one was just as much fun as the “See the World” book and would love it if books about other countries or continents and flavors of pie get published.

There is a (non-vegan) recipe for cherry pie included in the book, a recipe that could be easily veganized for vegan kids/families.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are THE BEST!

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

We recently read How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World and we liked it, so when we saw this 'sequel,' we decided we had to borrow it from our local library.

This tale is a domestic version of the previous one and it is very similar in content. As with the other book, I couldn't help thinking of the If You Give... series by Laura Joffe Numeroff. I think it was just the (mostly) logical progression of actions, one after another.

It was a bit strange, since instead of compiling ingredients to make the pie, the young girl is compiling the basic materials and making the cooking instruments she needs to make the pie. The overall execution of the book is informative regarding the natural resources available in the United States, but it feels slightly awkward.

In any case, this was an entertaining book to read aloud and we loved the humorous illustrations. We enjoyed reading this book together.

[babyhippoface · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl gives the reader elaborate directions on how to get the things needed to make a cherry pie via the entire United States. A quick look at the natural resources of different regions of the USA, Priceman's book features colorful gouache illustrations of the tundra of Alaska, the clay of New Mexico, the oil-derrick spotted plains of Texas, the beaches of Hawaii, the granite-filled mountains of New Hampshire, and more. This book would make an excellent springboard for a class project on America's regions, mapping each stop the girl makes and studying the climates and natural resources, as well as learning about the products made from those resources. Of course, it should all culminate in a cherry pie picnic!

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book truly got a LOL from me. I little silly and far fetched but fun and great pictures! I laughed and might learn how to make a pie. Though it is about the USA the recipe for the pie is in Fahrenheit and Celsius and I don't think my newer electronic stove can be converted to Celsius...I guess I will just have to turn the oven on to 425F because my Celsius button of 218 is broken!

FUN ONE for the Fourth of July!!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mom rates 4 stars, kids 2 stars. I thought the book presented a clever way to learn how to make a cherry pie from SCRATCH and tour the U.S. Will re-visit this book from the library another time and see what the kids think again. 7/20/15

[Elizabeth Mayberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

My girls think this book (and How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World) is so funny. Clearly it is much easier to make a cherry pie, but the story takes us all over trying to get the materials to make all the things we need! Its great way to visualize the United States of America and also learn about the industry and diversity all around us as a country. It also lends itself to continue the story through crafting or baking together. We made cherry pies out of clay and turned them into magnets and also made cherry pies out of paper plates and tissue paper! As well as made a real cherry pie with all the ingredients :) The map not only charts out the journey we went on to make a Cherry pie, but is also fun to point out where family lives and where we call home! A good one for ages 3+

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to show (at a really accessible level) how a supply chain work for non organic (living/once-living) materials and products we rely on. I think that this would be a wonderful follow up to the Apple Pie book to open up the world to them a little. I do get what some of the other reviewers said about it being completely crazy that she would need to go get her own oil to process into plastic for her measuring cups. HOWEVER I can’t think of a better way to make supply chain more interesting. You could always preface it making a story around how she is as adventurous/DIY as Phineas and Ferb.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cherry pie, sites around the U.S. and learning where some things come from and how they're made. Fun style learning!

Ages: 5 - 9

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[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, except instead of gathering ingredients for the pie, the author/character travels the USA collecting the raw materials needed to manufacture the cooking utensils. Shows the variety of natural resources available in the United States and, of course, includes a map of the states. Fun.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, this book made me tired. So much work for a cherry pie! Take my advice, skip the whole process here and go, instead, to Sweetie Pies in Fish Creek, Wisconsin. Order one cherry pie and eat the whole thing (with the family, of course!) in one sitting. You won't see the whole country, but it's a lot easier and the pie is so worth it! lol

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t think this is a great picture book but my kids enjoyed it. The story is just so-so, as are the pictures. This could have been an excellent book if they’d put more effort into the actual story and tying together the products and resources produced in each of our 50 beautiful states. Probably won’t keep this one in our personal library.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would think cherries, flour, sugar, and butter are some key ingredients for cherry pie. All of which could be found across the United States. But no, this book includes coal, oil, clay, and sand. To make the pie pan, spoons, mixing bowl, and measuring cups of course. No mention of actual food ingredients. Unbelievable.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neither I nor my inner child appreciate these two books. I do like the idea of kids learning a little material science and a little geography, and the recipe is legitimate (in my experience it looks like it will succeed). But otherwise, just not for us.

[Mrs Heet -Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my 4th graders, who normally are busy studying all the states at this point of the year, and they all laughed with this one. A goofy way to talk about most of the states and what you might find there.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unusual book but I like that it points out how much goes in to making ordinary things we likely haven't thought much about. To realize how much work it takes for each item before getting to an average home to make a pie.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World as well, and a lot of the same things I like and dislike about that one also apply here. It's the same cute travel idea, but this girl still wants to wander all over everywhere in no particular order for her shopping list.

That being said, this is another cute and silly book introducing travel, cooking, and the idea that ingredients (and materials this time too!) come from different places outside the market. This is another I'd probably use for a food/cooking storytime, or one on travel (which, coincidently is our Summer Reading theme this year!).

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I preferred the Apple Pie version but still a great read.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Talks about all the resources that the US has. Metal for pie pan, cotton for the pot holders etc

[Dawn Fielder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am buying this to use with lower grade geography lessons as well as lessons on regions, and natural resources. It is clever and has a ton of geography in it.

[Jess El-Zeftawy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought it was going to be a good read leading up to Independence Day but it was so boring and the state facts were not great.

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

Her other book, How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World, is fantastic! Read that one, and skip this one. This one is disjointed and kind of strange.

[Denicemarcell]

Apple Pie was so much more fun

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is different than how to make an apple pie. That one was pretty linear. This one was literally all over the map.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Confusing book masked as an informative tour of the USA and all that the various regions have to offer. Looked so promising, but it was a mess.

[Sydney Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty cute.

[Veronica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. Not as good as her How to Make an Apple Pie book.

[Tess Peatross · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute but didn’t hold my boys’ attention. Curious to try again when my daughter is older

[Jenna Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is done in the same style as How to Make an Apple Pie and see the World, which I loved. The focus is on kitchen implements instead of ingredients, and it takes place in the USA, so kids can learn about some of the states they may not know about. This is a great choice for homeschooling, taught in the spirit of the FIAR study on the first book.

My only rub is the end of the story, which does not follow the spirit of the first book. I feel like that was a missed opportunity, but I still like the book as a whole.