The Great Jam Sandwich
About the Story
'The Great Jam Sandwich' is a DELIGHTFULLY SILLY story by Janet and Allan Ahlberg. It is about what happens when a peaceful town is INVADED by thousands of wasps — and the VERY unusual solution the townspeople come up with!
The Story
The Problem — Wasps Everywhere!
One sunny afternoon, a HUGE swarm of WASPS flew into the town of BUMBLETON. The wasps were EVERYWHERE — in the bakery, at the park, around the ice cream cart. They buzzed and buzzed and BUZZED.
'People couldn't sit in their gardens. Children couldn't play outside. The ice cream man couldn't sell a single cone without wasps landing on it!'
The wasps were a BIG problem. They bothered everyone. They made life MISERABLE for the people of Bumbleton.
The Town Meeting
The Mayor called a TOWN MEETING. Everyone gathered in the town hall to discuss the wasp problem.
'We must do SOMETHING about these wasps!' said the Mayor.
One person said, 'Let's use a giant SWATTER.' Another said, 'Let's SPRAY them away.' But none of the ideas seemed good enough.
Then, a little baker named MR. BUN stood up. 'I have an idea,' he said. 'Let's make a GIANT JAM SANDWICH!'
Everyone was SILENT. Then they started LAUGHING. 'A jam sandwich? To catch wasps? That is RIDICULOUS!'
The Plan
But Mr. Bun explained his plan. 'Wasps LOVE sweet things — especially JAM. If we make the BIGGEST jam sandwich in the world, the wasps will come to eat it. And then... we can TRAP them!'
The people thought about it. It sounded CRAZY. But no one had a better idea.
'We will need,' said Mr. Bun, counting on his fingers:
- 'One LOAF of bread — a VERY large loaf.'
- 'A LOT of butter.'
- 'And JAM — strawberry jam, because wasps love strawberries!'
Making the Sandwich
The ENTIRE town worked together. The bakers baked a loaf of bread as big as a SMALL CAR. The farmers brought buckets and buckets of strawberries. The cooks made the jam — boiling and stirring for hours.
Finally, the giant jam sandwich was ready. It was HUGE — as big as a dining table!
The Trap!
The townspeople placed the giant jam sandwich in the MIDDLE of the town square. Then they HID and waited.
The wasps smelled the sweet jam. One by one, they flew toward the giant sandwich. Soon — THOUSANDS of wasps were sitting on the jam, eating happily.
'NOW!' shouted Mr. Bun.
The people ran out and SLAMMED the top slice of bread onto the sandwich — TRAPPING all the wasps inside!
The Happy Ending
The wasps were trapped between the slices of bread. They buzzed angrily — but they could not escape. The people of Bumbleton CHEERED!
'What should we do with the wasp sandwich?' someone asked.
'Let's BURY it in the ground where it can't bother anyone,' said the Mayor.
And that is exactly what they did. The wasps were gone. The town was PEACEFUL again. The children could play outside. The ice cream man could sell his cones again.
Why We Love This Story
- It is HILARIOUS. A giant jam sandwich as a solution to a wasp problem? Brilliant!
- It shows CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING. Sometimes the CRAZIEST idea is the best one.
- It celebrates COMMUNITY. Everyone worked together to solve the problem.
- It is UNFORGETTABLE. Once you hear about the giant jam sandwich, you NEVER forget it!
New Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Invaded | Entered in large numbers, usually unwanted |
| Swarm | A large group of insects flying together |
| Misirable | Very unhappy or uncomfortable |
| Ridiculous | Silly, not sensible |
| Trapped | Caught and unable to escape |
| Creative | Using imagination to make something new |
Think and Discuss
- Why was the wasp swarm a problem for the town of Bumbleton?
- Why did people LAUGH when Mr. Bun first suggested the jam sandwich?
- Do you think the jam sandwich was a GOOD idea? Why or why not?
- What does this story teach us about working TOGETHER?
Fun Activity
Design YOUR own creative solution for a pest problem. Draw a picture and write a short paragraph explaining how your invention works!
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Writing
- 'Don't forget QUOTATION MARKS when characters speak: "We must do something!" said the Mayor.'
- 'CAPITALISE the first word of dialogue: He said, "Wasps love jam." Not: He said, "wasps love jam."'
Self-Test
Q1: What was the problem in the story?
Q2: Who came up with the idea of the giant jam sandwich?
Q3: What did the townspeople use to make the giant sandwich?
Q4: How did they trap the wasps?
Q5: What did they do with the wasp sandwich after the wasps were trapped?
Q6: What is the main THEME of this story?
Answers:
A1: Thousands of wasps invaded the town of Bumbleton and bothered everyone. A2: Mr. Bun, a baker, came up with the idea. A3: A giant loaf of bread, butter, and strawberry jam. A4: When all the wasps landed on the jam to eat, they slammed the top slice of bread down, trapping the wasps inside. A5: They buried it in the ground. A6: Creative problem-solving and community teamwork.
