Mean Soup [Hardcover]

Betsy Everitt (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

It has been a bad day for Horace. A very bad day. He’s come home feeling mean. But his mother knows just what to do! “For the book Mean Soup, the recipe is as follows: (1) clever text spiced with one or two outrageous bits; (2) a grand message about getting out anger instead of locking it inside; and (3) exciting artwork as full of life as the story.”--Booklist

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this energetic picture book Mother knows the perfect recipe for a calming brew. After a horrible day at school and a rough ride home, Horace is in a foul mood. When his mother cheerfully suggests cooking up some soup, the frazzled boy resists--until he's called upon to add some very special ingredients. Mother and son take turns screaming, growling and making faces into the simmering pot of water, stirring up a successful batch of "mean soup." The text features short sentences and easy but effective vocabulary, so the story bubbles with a building excitement. Everitt's ( Frida the Wondercat ; The Happy Hippopotami ) stylized paintings and bold palette--hot pinks, purples and black predominate--convey all of the feisty emotion of a frustrated youngster. Her human figures have wispy outlines and sometimes resemble chunky high fashion sketches. Children and adults alike will be heartened by this innovative method of relieving stress. Ages 2-6.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-- An unsatisying blend of realism and fantasy that may confuse young children. Horace has had a bad day--including getting stepped on by a show-and-tell cow and riding home with Miss Pearl, who nearly kills three poodles on the way. He feels mean, so his sympathetic mother suggests that they make soup. She salts a pot of boiling water and then they take turns screaming into it and sticking their tongues out at it. Horace also bangs a spoon on the side of the pot while it boils on the stove (an unsafe practice) and, in a jarring departure from realism, he breathes ``his best dragon breath,'' at which point flames emerge from his mouth. At last Horace smiles. The text is appropriately simple and direct. The stylized gouache paintings are large and clear enough for group sharing. They are boldly colored, energetically composed, and sometimes offbeat and silly. The final scene depicts Horace and his mother ``stirring away the bad day,'' but their backs are to the readers, which unfortunately lessens the emotional impact. Sharmat's Attila the Angry (Holiday, 1985) or Simon's I Was So Mad! (Albert Whitman, 1974) are for slightly older children, focusing on a broader range of emotions. --Cynthia K. Richey, Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (April 15, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152531467
• ISBN-13: 978-0152531461
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 10.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,855,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A winner!!!, January 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mean Soup (Paperback)

Brilliantly illustrated and engagingly told, this is the story of how a very wise mom helps her son deal with feelings of anger and frustration. Little Horace has had a really rough day, and is initially unreceptive to his mother's attempts to cheer him up. He quickly changes his mind, however, as his mother uses humor and creativity to allow him to express himself--safely. The ending is heart-warming and reassuring. I've used this book for years as both an educator and a mother, and it's a hit every time!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Express Yourself - A Great Read!, October 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Mean Soup (Paperback)

My children enjoy this book because it reflects a feeling that they often feel but can't always express - I like it because so few books actually do talk about this feeling in a constructive way - ANGER! This book takes a look at how children often express their anger, and how an understanding mom helps her son work through it in a fun way, that doesn't hurt anyone. The pictures are colorful and fun, and my kids love to make the growls and screams along with the boy in the book. It is a great read!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Quirky, I liked it!, October 9, 2001

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mean Soup (Paperback)

Young Horace has had a really bad day; nothing went right at school, and nothing went right after it. But, his mother knew what to do. Putting a pan full of water on the stove, she encouraged him to scream and shout and pour his frustration into the soup--the mean soup.

This is quite a cute book, showing a cute way to relieve stress. The illustrations are quirky and go along beautifully with the story. I like this book!

One thing I must say, though. My eight-year-old son selected this book for a reading project, but it was quite beneath his ability. With only a few words per page, it is more useful as a lesson than as reading material. I would recommend it for somewhat younger readers. Nonetheless, I liked this book, and recommend it to you.