Soup For One
Written and Illustrated by Ethan Long
Running Press Kids 2012
Ages 3-6
Themes: Counting to 10
Synopsis: (from publisher’s website) Shoo, fly, shoo! One little fly thinks he’s getting a big bowl of hot soup all to himself. Little does he know, interlopers wait around every corner. Help him to count the unwelcome pals that join him for lunch—one after another after another—up to ten! Who will get the last slurp of soup? Does the ravenous chef have a chance against ten hungry flies? Or will the sneaky spider hiding on every page be the one to triumph?
Opening:
Tee hee hee!
Some soup for me!
Shoo, fly, shoo!
It’s not for two!
Resources: Try Dot-to-dot and Counting Fish at ABCya! HERE, there are 15 online activities to help with counting to 10. I came up with an activity, too. Write the numbers 1-10 on blank index cards. Lay them out on a table. Give each child a plastic fly swatter. Let them take turns swatting the number you call out.
Top Ten Reasons I Like This Book
10. It’s a delightful little counting book.
9. It can be easily be used in the classroom with curriculum connections.
8. It’s a concept book with a story that invites page turns.
7. Photographic elements in the illustrations add unique dimension.
6. The rhyme is simple and moves the story forward effectively.
5. The fact that each fly has personality.
4. The slurping lizard.
3. Adults will giggle.
2. Kids will giggle.
And the #1 reason I like this book. The lurking spider who may just get a taste of something delicious!
Susanna Leonard Hill features Perfect Picture Book Friday on her blog. This is a wonderful resource if you are wondering what books to give as gifts, needing material for a lesson, or just looking for a great book to read. Here is a list of books by category. Each book listed has a link to a review, information about that book, and resources for activities. There is also an alphabetical list.
AWESOME! I like the opening – “Tee hee hee!
Some soup for me!” :)
It’s a great opening, Erik. It hooks you right off the bat!
Do you mean “right off the FLY”? ;)
You are very funny! Now quit being sarcastic before I swat you :-)
This sounds like tons of fun, Penny! And you can never have too many counting books :) Love that you counted down for a counting book :) Thanks for sharing this one!
You’ll love the little flies…only picture books can make a fly a cute character!
This one looks great! Kind of like FLY GUY. I like your swatting activity! I’ll bet the kids would like that too!
Thanks for dropping by. I think kids will like the swatting to. I love learning activities that really involve the kiddos.
Patience pays!
You are so right, Julie! We could learn some lessons from that eight-legged lurker.
Next ms tittle: Great Big Things I Learned From the Itsy-Bitsy Spider!
I don’t know if you’re serious…but you ought to be…that would be cute!
:)
What a fun-sounding read! I need to know whether flies, spider or soup prevails in the end. Guess I’d better find the book! Thanks, Penny.
Not the soup! LOL! Yes, find the book, Beth.
Such a clever book packed with so much action. I think my granddaughter would love this. Thank you so much for sharing.
So much action and very spare text. I could learn from that alone!
It is so important that concept books are still interesting stories. I haven’t found too many that are! Great choice :)
That’s one of my favorite things about this book because I haven’t found many that are stories either. It was really a fun read.
I vote for the spider! I love short, punchy rhymes like this. Great find!
Good pick, Joanna! He’s a cute little guy and deserves a little soup.
Despite what the industry says, we all love rhyming books. I think the comfort of rhythmic words is part of our DNA.
You are so right Wendy! I LOVE rhyming books and kids do, too. Recently, I read several new picture books to some kindergartners. I asked which was their favorite. Hands down they picked the rhyming book. I guess it’s because the industry has seen so many poor attempts, but if you look at what is being published, there are still plenty of rhyming books hitting the shelves that are getting stellar reviews.
I found you through Catherine, Penny. The book looks adorable. Thanks for the shout-out!
Thanks for stopping by, Linda! Catherine is the greatest!
This sounds like something you would write, Penny. Inviting page turns is no easy task. I can’t wait to read this one.
I wish I had written it!!! Thanks, Catherine :-)
This one makes me laugh even before I have read it, Penny…how fun!
I agree, Jarm. The cover is very inviting!
Cute! Must find this one…too many words that rhyme with ‘soup’ are filling my head!
The rhyming is actually with the numbers! But soup has a big part in the story :-)…..SLURP!
I love your countdown. It sounds like a very fun book.
The countdown was fun! My debut David Letterman-type review.