A Recipe for Irony, Surprise Endings, and a #1 Enemy

3rd Grade

What do a secret recipe, a perfect summer, a new kid on the block, and a surprise ending all have in common?  The book Enemy Pie by Derek Munson.  Sometimes, parents do know best, as seen in this tale of a father, who concocts a secret recipe to rid enemies from his son’s life. While the apple “enemy” pie is being created, the father tells of the plan his son must follow in order for the pie to “work.” He says, “-you need to spend a day with your enemy. Even worse, you have to be nice to him.”  This picture story creatively sends a message to children about how to handle sometimes difficult friendships. 

Start a discussion with your student about the word irony.  First offer a definition and explain the meaning, giving examples from everyday life. Ask her to identify examples of irony she has noticed in her life within the past week.  Now, read aloud the book Enemy Pie asking the child to stop you when an ironic statement is made.  And, ask why the author may be using irony at that moment.  How might the story be different if the author avoided irony all together.

Next, talk about the concept of surprise endings.  Ask your student to tell you about other favorite stories or movies with surprise endings.  Discuss how Enemy Pie’s surprise ending creates interest in the book.  After completion of the story, the student can create her own recipe to solve a problem, using irony and a surprise to create added interest.