The Giant Jam Sandwich

The village bus, they all agreed,
Would spoil the fields of Farmer Seed.
So eight fine horses pulled the bread
To where the picnic cloth was spread.

From The Giant Jam Sandwich
Story and pictures by John Vernon Lord and verses by Janet Burroway
First published in 1972

Leola had a picnic in the park and made her first daisy chain.

Today we are reading… The Giant Jam Sandwich, a book I remember vividly from my childhood.

When four million wasps fly into town the villagers hold a meeting.

 Then Bap the Baker leapt to his feet
And cried, “What do wasps like best to eat?
Strawberry jam! Now wait a minute!
If we made a giant sandwich we could trap them in it!”

After much baking, slicing, towing and spreading, Bap’s ingenious plan comes to fruition.

But what became of the sandwich? Well…Leola and I have decided not to tell! If you don’t remember, track down a copy  of this beloved picture book classic.

To see illustrations from the book and read more insights head to Vintage Books My Kid Loves. You can also watch Grandma reading the story on YouTube!

Why Leola loves it…

Leola loves what she calls “finding things books,” and for her the intrigue of The Giant Jam Sandwich comes from the carefully depicted characters whom we can follow through the story. Farmer Seed, for example, can be seen making use of his tractor in a variety of interesting ways!

Why I love it…

Forty years since it was first published the whimsical charm of The Giant Jam Sandwich has not faded. The rhyming verses are wonderful to read aloud and the illustrations are teeming with quirky details. Look out for the lady with the marvellous peacock feather hat!