Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Everybody Serves Soup
Illustrator: Peter Thornton
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 8
Lerner, 2004 ISBN: 978-1575057910
It is a snow day and Carrie is outside the house helping her father to clear the snow off the path. Christmas is not far off and Carrie is wondering what she should get her mother for a gift. She does not have any money left so she decides to see if can earn some money by shoveling snow for the people on her street.
Carrie does such a good job for her Dad that he pays her a generous fee. Carrie then meets up with Tito, a boy who lives on her street. After playing with snowballs and then shoveling, Carrie and Tito go up to Tito's apartment where his sister Fendra is making soup. Carrie and Tito have some of the delicious soup, and Fendra gives Carrie the recipe for the traditional Puerto Rican dish.
Next Carrie and Tito visit John, who cannot come out to play or shovel because he is unwell. John's mother is making a Greek soup and the children all have some. John's mother is happy to give Carrie her recipe, and Carrie and Tito then head out again. Little does Carrie know that by the end of the day she is going to have a priceless gift for her mother.
In this delightful picture book, Norah Dooley shows her readers how people who come from different backgrounds can have a connection through the food that they eat. Though the people on Carrie's street are all very different, they all have something in common - they like to make a warming tasty soup on a cold winter's day. Readers will also see that sometimes the best presents are the ones that are found rather than bought.
At the back of this book, readers will find recipes for the soups that are mentioned in the story.
