The Giant Jam Sandwich

by John Vernon Lord and Janet Burroway
Picture Book

When four million wasps infest the small town of Itching Down, the people get together to hatch a plan to rid themselves of the nuisance. No one seems to have a good plan, until the baker realizes that a wasps’ favorite food is jam. Thus, the only practical form of action is to make a giant jam sandwich to trap all of the wasps in.

If the premise alone doesn’t make you want to read The Giant Jam Sandwich, then maybe the lyrical way text is written will spark your interest. For instance, one part reads “They strung Lod Swell on his fat bald pate, They dived and hummed and buzzed and ate.” With such amazing rhymes and phrases, this book is truly a gem. The imaginative way the town solves their problem reminds me of childlike creativity where anything can happen. I absolutely love that!

Book Review by Christina, Circulation Assistant