Title: Stone Soup
Author and Illustrator: Jon J. Muth
ISBN: 043933909X
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Genre: Folk Tale
Guided Reading Level: M
* Stone Soup, by Jon J. Muth is one of my newest additions to my growing list of favorites!
While looking for a quality children’s picture book for this week’s blog I remembered a story that I was told to read called Stone Soup. I decided to search for Stone Soup and found many versions of the story by different authors. I stumbled across Stone Soup by Jon J. Muth and I knew I had found my book! Jon J. Muth retell’s and illustrates the old folk tale in such a unique and humble way that I fell in love with this story. Muth sets the story in China and incorporates Chinese culture into the story through his art, symbols as well as elements from other Chinese folklore. The characters Hok, Lok and Siew are familiar characters in Chinese folklore known for being deities that represent health, wealth, and prosperity. In this story, Hok, Lok and Siew are monks who come across a village filled with villagers that had lost their sense of community and trust due to famine, flooding and war which fell upon them. The three monk’s trick the villagers into helping them prepare stone soup in order to help the villagers remember how important community and the love and joy one feels when he/she shares in being a part of something bigger really is. The traditional European version shows three hungry travelers that trick a village into giving them ingredients to make soup in order to cure their hunger. Muth turned this old tale into a selfless and compassionate tale of human kindness and need for relationships/friendships.
Muth’s artwork is brilliant! The story begins with Hok, Lok and Siew walking in almost all white through a snow covered trail that hides the Great Wall of China and near completely camouflages the three monks. The village is painted with bland colors until we see a vibrant red tree that helps the viewers’ eye to find a young onlooker wearing a bright yellow coat. Once we meet the young child the colors grow stronger from page to page as the courtyard fills with more and more people. It is as if color is added to the pages as life comes back to the community.
This story is great for teaching multiculturalism in the classroom, comparative studies on folklore, and teaching the importance of community and sharing. I enjoyed meeting tricksters who wanted to do good for others and not for personal gain. I felt the mood change as the villagers became more open and trusting. I was not expecting to find this book, but I am sure glad I did! Stone Soup, by Jon J. Muth has been added to my growing list of favorites and I implore you to pick up a copy and let the story work its’ way into your heart too!
Hey Joanna
ReplyDeleteI love your choice for this week’s blog. This story is one of my favorites. I am not familiar with Jon J. Muth’s version of the story but there are many out there. The one I am familiar with is by Ann McGovern and Winslow Pinney Pels. I also remember having a Disney version of this story when I was younger however, I am not sure if the book is still in print. Young readers would enjoy this version of Daisy Duck tricking Uncle Scrooge into making a pot of stone soup. After reading your blog, I am interested in reading Jon J. Muth’s version and teaching a lesson in which I would have the class make a Venn diagram, comparing the two stories. I agree with you how this story teaches an important lesson, as most great folktales do. Children will enjoy this story no matter which version you read to them. They all share a common theme of helping out and sharing soup with those who are less fortunate. I think it would even be a cute idea to make stone soup with your class as long as you are allowed and there are no restrictions about bringing in a hot plate.