The Soup Bone [Paperback]

Tony Johnston (Author), Margot Tomes (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: A Voyager/Hbj Book

Looking for a soup bone on Halloween, a little old lady finds a hungry skeleton instead.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Enhanced by Tomes's typically rusticated palette, this droll tale stars an old lady who makes several bones about her Halloween search for the perfect ingredient. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-- One Halloween night, a lonely little old lady searches for a bone to add to her vegetable soup. Finding none inside, she goes out to dig and unearths an entire skeleton. After chasing the woman up a tree, the skeleton goes into the house and discovers the soup. It in turn is frightened and is chased by a dog, and finally hides under the bed. After cornering the skeleton, the dog is revealed to be none other than the little old lady herself--dressed in her Halloween costume. The two make a pact not to frighten one another. Then, after sharing the soup and each other's company, they venture out together to "scare somebody," since it is, after all, Halloween night. Johnston's text has the easy cadence of a folktale, making it a good choice for reading aloud. Tomes's familiar gouache paintings reinforce the whimsical quality of the original tale. Even a casual observer will notice the visual clues throughout the pages. A palette of soft muddy browns and grays, with accents of orange, red, and green, creates the ambience of a late October evening. While any promise of a spooky, spine-tingling tale fades early on, this is nevertheless satisfying: a good choice for Halloween story hours and a foil for more sensational yarns. --Corinne Camarata, Port Washington Public Library, NY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (August 17, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152772561
• ISBN-13: 978-0152772567
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 8 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,485,659 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clever and fun!, November 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Soup Bone (Hardcover)

Great tale of an unlikely friendship. Refreshing to see an older woman portrayed as brave, clever and spunky, not to mention a skeleton portrayed as somewhat skiddish. A fun story for both young and old readers.

5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE this book!!, March 16, 2010

By 

N. Rieckmann (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Soup Bone (Paperback)

So simple, yet so charming. The rustic illustrations add to its wonder. One of my most beloved books.

5.0 out of 5 stars A favorite!, November 14, 2008

By 

Jen "Jen H" (Sheboygan, WI, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Soup Bone (Paperback)

WE brought this home from the library for Halloween, and it quickly became my 2-year-olds favorite! He loves yelling "boogity-boo" and seeing the skeleton hide. It's a really cute halloween story, with a fun ending - and not too scary for little kids!