Stone Soup - by Marcia Brown

About the Book

When three hungry soldiers come to a town where all the food has been hidden, they set out to make soup of water and stones, and all the town enjoys a feast.

Book Synopsis

A Caldecott Honor Book with remastered artwork for its 75th anniversary! Clever soldiers outwit greedy townspeople with the creation of a special soup in this cherished classic.

Three soldiers come marching down the road towards a French village. The peasants, seeing them coming, suddenly become very busy, for soldiers are often hungry. All their food is hidden under mattresses or in barns. Then follows a battle of wits, with the soldiers equal to the occasion. Why, of course--even with no food, they can still make a wonderful soup! All they will need is three round stones. But to make a truly perfect stone soup, they will of course also need a carrot or two...a cabbage...and so it goes.

First published in 1947, Marcia Brown's retelling of a French folktale is a picture book classic. Her lively art creates a festival of activity, of dancing and laughter, that young readers will want to experience again and again.

About the Author

Marcia Brown (1918-2015), one of the most honored illustrators in children's literature, was a three-time Caldecott Medalist and six-time Caldecott Honor illustrator, as well as winner of the Children's Literature Legacy Award (formerly known as the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award) for the body of her work. She lived in Laguna Hills, California.