What do you think?
Rate this book
The Blueberry Pie Elf Standard Book
One day the people who live with Elmer, who was a little elf, baked a blueberry pie. The minute Elmer had a chance he jumped right into that rich, melting pie and ate till his elfin stomach bulged. It was delicious, and Elmer wanted another one right away. But nobody can see an elf, or hear an elf, or feel an elf, so none of his people knew he was trying to tell them something. Then, when Elmer was unhappily sampling cherry pie, he had an inspiration! But, dear reader, we can't give the ending away. Let's just say that Elmer's ingenious solution satisfied his craving for blueberry pie and, being a polite elf, he thanked his people. Elmer has been the most appealing and industrious elf around for nearly fifty years, and he'll continue to delight children for generations to come. Seymour Fleishman's charming illustrations transform our familiar household world into the tiny world of elves.
Paperback
First published June 1, 1962
About the author
Jane Thayer
78 books15 followersJane Thayer (pen name of: Catherine Woolley) was an American writer. She is known best for the book The Puppy Who Wanted A Boy, which became the basis of a 1980s Saturday Morning cartoon series, The Puppy's Further Adventures.
Obituary from: Boston Globe, July 27, 2005
http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articl...
With the 87 children's books she wrote, Catherine Woolley delighted generations of young readers around the world with stories of children, animals, a friendly ghost, and mysterious happenings.
She was so prolific that her publisher told her to use a nom de plume for some books. She chose Jane Thayer, her grandmother's name, for the many picture books she wrote.
For her older readers, she used her real name on books such as the ''Ginnie and Geneva" series about the adventures of two young girls. Many of the books were translated into foreign languages.
Ms. Woolley died Saturday in her Truro home. She was 100 and had been in failing health in recent years.
Until then, said her niece Betsy Drinkwater of Enfield, N.H., Ms. Woolley was a lover of books and a ''lifelong Democrat."
''After her 100th birthday last summer, her goal was to live long enough to vote in the 2004 election, and she did," Drinkwater said.
''She was a character," Drinkwater said. ''She never married, was very independent, and traveled all over the world. ''
A petite woman with blue eyes and curly hair, Ms. Woolley was also feisty, said a Truro neighbor, Peggy Longgood. ''She was clear in what she believed in and thought, and she would not back down on anything. She was indomitable."
Ms. Woolley continued to write into her 80s and 90s, Drinkwater said. Her last published work was 1989's ''Writing for Children," in which she advised adults how to write children's books. It wasn't easy, she warned.
Though Ms. Woolley never had children, she seemed to have a kinship with them, friends said. In her books, she often drew on her own experiences and world travels. She always urged students at the writers' workshops she taught on Cape Cod to write what they knew. In ''Writing for Children," she writes: ''There is a delight in working with words, because if you are a writer you love the magic of words and you love using words to bring children into the world you are creating."
Ms. Woolley was born in Chicago to Edward Mott and Anna Lazelle (Thayer) Woolley. She grew up in Passaic, N.J. Her father was a newspaperman in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Ms. Woolley attended both Barnard College in New York and the University of California at Los Angeles, earning her bachelor's degree from UCLA in 1927.
Ms. Woolley's niece said that after college, she worked in public relations in New York and eventually moved back with her parents in Passaic in the 1930s during the Great Depression. She lived in Passaic until she was 60.
Drinkwater believes that Ms. Woolley wrote for magazines before her first book, ''I Like Trains," was published in 1944.
In the early 1960s, she moved into a house she had bought in Truro, pounding out books on an old Remington typewriter. She never used a computer.
Among her many books were ''The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy," about a dog who was looking for a master and found more than one at an orphanage, and a series about ''Gus the Ghost," a friendly apparition.
On Cape Cod, Ms. Woolley was a fixture at writing and book events. She helped start a book club, worked with the Friends of the Truro Library, taught at writing workshops, and held story hours at the library.
When the library opened its new building in 1996, it named its children's room after her.
''Catherine's writing and literary life was paramount to her," said Anne Brock of North Truro, a former library trustee.
One of Ms. Woolley's students was Yoko Kawashima Watkins of Brewster, with whom she worked for a year on a manuscript for Watkins's suc
Obituary from: Boston Globe, July 27, 2005
http://www.boston.com/ae/books/articl...
With the 87 children's books she wrote, Catherine Woolley delighted generations of young readers around the world with stories of children, animals, a friendly ghost, and mysterious happenings.
She was so prolific that her publisher told her to use a nom de plume for some books. She chose Jane Thayer, her grandmother's name, for the many picture books she wrote.
For her older readers, she used her real name on books such as the ''Ginnie and Geneva" series about the adventures of two young girls. Many of the books were translated into foreign languages.
Ms. Woolley died Saturday in her Truro home. She was 100 and had been in failing health in recent years.
Until then, said her niece Betsy Drinkwater of Enfield, N.H., Ms. Woolley was a lover of books and a ''lifelong Democrat."
''After her 100th birthday last summer, her goal was to live long enough to vote in the 2004 election, and she did," Drinkwater said.
''She was a character," Drinkwater said. ''She never married, was very independent, and traveled all over the world. ''
A petite woman with blue eyes and curly hair, Ms. Woolley was also feisty, said a Truro neighbor, Peggy Longgood. ''She was clear in what she believed in and thought, and she would not back down on anything. She was indomitable."
Ms. Woolley continued to write into her 80s and 90s, Drinkwater said. Her last published work was 1989's ''Writing for Children," in which she advised adults how to write children's books. It wasn't easy, she warned.
Though Ms. Woolley never had children, she seemed to have a kinship with them, friends said. In her books, she often drew on her own experiences and world travels. She always urged students at the writers' workshops she taught on Cape Cod to write what they knew. In ''Writing for Children," she writes: ''There is a delight in working with words, because if you are a writer you love the magic of words and you love using words to bring children into the world you are creating."
Ms. Woolley was born in Chicago to Edward Mott and Anna Lazelle (Thayer) Woolley. She grew up in Passaic, N.J. Her father was a newspaperman in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Ms. Woolley attended both Barnard College in New York and the University of California at Los Angeles, earning her bachelor's degree from UCLA in 1927.
Ms. Woolley's niece said that after college, she worked in public relations in New York and eventually moved back with her parents in Passaic in the 1930s during the Great Depression. She lived in Passaic until she was 60.
Drinkwater believes that Ms. Woolley wrote for magazines before her first book, ''I Like Trains," was published in 1944.
In the early 1960s, she moved into a house she had bought in Truro, pounding out books on an old Remington typewriter. She never used a computer.
Among her many books were ''The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy," about a dog who was looking for a master and found more than one at an orphanage, and a series about ''Gus the Ghost," a friendly apparition.
On Cape Cod, Ms. Woolley was a fixture at writing and book events. She helped start a book club, worked with the Friends of the Truro Library, taught at writing workshops, and held story hours at the library.
When the library opened its new building in 1996, it named its children's room after her.
''Catherine's writing and literary life was paramount to her," said Anne Brock of North Truro, a former library trustee.
One of Ms. Woolley's students was Yoko Kawashima Watkins of Brewster, with whom she worked for a year on a manuscript for Watkins's suc
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
July 6, 2008
i read it so many times as a kid that the book fell apart... so lovely...
December 13, 2008
Elves can be very particular about their pie. And, if they need to get in touch with you, they will probably come up with some pretty wacky antics in order to get your attention. Remember, you can't see or hear these little guys, so look for signs that they've been around.
May 4, 2009
My very favorite children's book!
September 3, 2009
I have such wonderful memories of my dad reading this to us when we were children! So glad it is back in print (with the original illustrations) so I can enjoy it again with my own children!
June 15, 2012
My favorite childhood book!
December 14, 2022
Overall cute but nothing amazing
February 12, 2023
LOVE IT!
April 2, 2009
I asked my library to buy this re-print (2008) of "Blueberry Pie Elf." I just picked it up off the hold shelf today.
Cute story and illustrations. A little elf lives in the house but of course no one can see him or hear him. One day the family bakes a blueberry pie. It smells so good that the elf decides to try some. Once it is gone, he tries to find a way to get some more. He starts doing jobs around the house, but since no one can see him, they don't know who is making beds and doing dishes. Find out how the elf gets noticed and finally gets some more blueberry pie!
Cute story and illustrations. A little elf lives in the house but of course no one can see him or hear him. One day the family bakes a blueberry pie. It smells so good that the elf decides to try some. Once it is gone, he tries to find a way to get some more. He starts doing jobs around the house, but since no one can see him, they don't know who is making beds and doing dishes. Find out how the elf gets noticed and finally gets some more blueberry pie!
October 10, 2017
What a delightful little book! This Purple House Press reprint is a joy to hold - and has a delightfully vintage feel, a sweet and innocent little story, and good manners! I wish more picture books were like this today. I'm so glad to have this back in print.
August 6, 2012
Such a sweet and imaginative book!
February 22, 2013
One of the books I loved best when I was about six.
April 21, 2013
Love this book about a polite elf.
August 10, 2013
My moms favorite book growing up
October 27, 2014
Plays to kids' imaginations, fun to read.
January 11, 2015
My favorite childhood book. I am so excited to find the original to read again.
November 6, 2016
Very popular with 5 & 7 year old.
October 5, 2018
Manners and yummy food. This is a fun read with the added benefit of promoting cursive writing.
July 11, 2019
A favourite book from my childhood
Read
July 4, 2024Amazing, hilarious, I also love desserts and Elmer’s obsession was relatable
August 27, 2024
Absolutely my favourite as a child. To this day I think of it when I see anything blueberry.
November 4, 2025
Such a cute book!
June 21, 2012
It was written over 50 years ago and is one of my very favorite picture books. I read it each year in my library, and thankfully the kids love it too. Once they learn about this adorable elf, they check it out, over and over again!
November 30, 2013
read it to my little sister
May 4, 2015
I have the one that illustrated by Anthony Accardo. Yet I really want to see the original illustration by Seymour Fleishman.
June 23, 2019
Charming.
February 6, 2014
Read an earlier edition in the 1960s :-) still like it.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews