Read, Discuss, and Do with MARI IN THE MARGINS

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By Marci Whitehurst The best books make readers feel like they aren’t alone. They’re seen. Understood. Our very own  Rebecca J. Gomez  accomplishes this flawlessly in Mari in the Margins , her new middle grade novel in verse, published by Bandersnatch Books. It releases May 14 th !  Here’s a snippet about the novel, which you’ll surely want to READ:   For Marivel Jiménez, life in her big family is full of chaos. Feeling overlooked by her parents and overshadowed by her siblings is frustrating, and it's even worse to have the constant attention of her annoying, mischievous three-year-old sister, Susana.  Caught between her need to be noticed and her dream of having time to herself, Marivel pours herself into poetry and, eventually, art journaling. When she hears of a school-wide poetry contest, she sees winning as a chance to escape the margins of her family and finally be seen. Doesn’t that sound amazing? That’s because it is. I was honored to read the book ahead of its release—and
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A Book List (and recipes) for Soup Season!

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Fall is here in our part of the world, and that means, among other things, SOUP SEASON! So we have put together a collection of books that feature soup and stew that we hope will bring a little bit of warmth and comfort to your reading time...and to your table!

Some of the books on this list include recipes, and we encourage you to give them a try. We've also each shared a soup or stew recipe from our own kitchens--complete with printable recipe cards! Can you think of a better way to extending the soupy magic of story time than by making a warm pot of soup? We can't! Unless, maybe, you invite a special guest for dinner.

Read: Any of the soup books on this list, or one that isn't!

Discuss:
  • Talk about the story and characters. Did soup or stew play a big role in the story, or a small one?
  • What is your favorite kind of soup or stew? How about your least favorite?
  • Do you enjoy soup all year round or just during the colder months?
  • Why do you think a good meal helps bring people together?
  • If you could invite a book character over for a cozy soup dinner, who would it be?
  • Do you like crackers in your soup? Why or why not?
Do: Make some soup! This could be as simple as heating some canned soup on the stove or you could cook together. Maybe try a new recipe, such as one included in a book or one that we have shared with you. Scroll past the book list to find a link to the printable recipe cards.

And now, for the list!

Pumpkin Soup Helen Cooper. A cute story about friendship, cooperation, and soup!

Delicious! By Helen Cooper. This is a delightful follow up book to Pumpkin Soup about experimentation with surprising results. There is a recipe for Pink Soup in the book which is made from beets.

Stone Soup by Ann McGovern. Two hungry travelers arrive in a village where the people are unwilling to share their food. The travelers convince the townspeople they can make soup out of a stone and end up getting everyone to pitch in to make soup. Also look for several other variations of this folk tale. 

Quill Soup by Alan Durant, illustrated by Dale Blankenaar. This is a retelling of Stone Soup in which a porcupine is given a pot and some water and decides to make quill soup and, ultimately, everyone who was unkind to him starts contributing ingredients.

Freedom Soup by Tami Charles illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara. Haitians from around the world each Freedom Soup to celebrate the New Year. Ti Gran shows Belle how the soup is made and they prepare the soup together.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Stir the Soup by Cynthia Rylant. This is an I-Can-Read title that is heart-warming. Mr. Putter and his cat want some soup but his stove isn’t working. He teams up with his neighbor Mrs. Teaberry to create a feast.

The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin. A little girl helps her mother grow "ugly" vegetables in the garden. The back matter names the “ugly vegetables” and gives a recipe to follow.

Every Color Soup by Jorey Hurley. A charming and bright concept book about colors and soup.

Thank You, Omu! by Oge Mora. A woman makes stew and shares it with her neighbors, and they thank her by sharing their food with her. Find a review and craft for this book in this previous post.

Bear and Chicken by Jannie Ho. This one is about a Bear who finds a “frozen” chicken in the woods, and when the chicken wakes he thinks Bear is preparing to make him into soup! We previously featured this book in our list of books that include recipes.

Duck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic. A hilarious story about a misunderstanding.

Middle grade books:


Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech. An engaging story with a snappy voice with themes of family and friendship. 

The Tale of Despereax: Being the Story of a Mouse, A Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate Dicamillo. A magical adventure story in which a brave little mouse goes on a daring adventure to save a beloved princess. 


Click on the image below to download and print three free recipes, from our kitchens to yours! The recipes include Loaded Baked Potato Soup from the kitchen of Rebecca J. Gomez, Zippy Vegetable Beef Soup from the kitchen of Mindy Baker, and Beef Stew from the kitchen of Marci Whitehurst.


What about you? Can you recommend any books featuring soup or stew? What is your favorite kind of soup?








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