This book is probably from the 40s or 50s. It was a series of stories that taught children how to make good choices. One story featured a greedy little boy who always grabbed the biggest cookie or cupcake for himself. To teach him lesson someone makes a nice spread of food featuring one very large muffin or potato etc. but something is always wrong with the biggest piece. For example a large pie has almost no filling inside! When he grabs the biggest one he always gets disappointed.
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I think this is one of the ‘Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories’ annual volumes. The author was Arthur Stanley Maxwell, and there was a long series of these books. The story in question is called ‘The Hollow Pie’. I do not remember which of the annual volumes it was in.
“The Hollow Pie” was in the “Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories” collection. This was a set of Christian morality tales — stories about responsibility, generosity, selfishness, laziness etc. Volume 1 could often be found in doctors’ and hospital waiting rooms.
The story is called ‘The Hollow Pie’ and was contained in ‘Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories, Volume 1’ by Arthur Maxwell.
You can read the story here: http://www.smothergoose.com/2011/01/uncle-arthurs-bedtime-stories-hollow.html
A rather twisted version…
Yes! It is Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories by Arthur Stanley Maxwell. Ann, Melanthe and Chandra all nailed it. Thank you so much. You have solved a very old mystery.