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Alvie Eats Soup
Alvie will eat only soup, and his parents are worried that his Granny Fanny, a famous chef, will find out.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
1 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
About the author
Ross Collins
187 books46 followersRoss was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1972.
He would eat anything and resembled a currant bun.
As he grew up he was fond of drawing, the Bionic Man and precariously swinging backwards on chairs.
He graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in 1994 with a First in Illustration. In the same year he won the MacMillan Children's Book Prize an achievement that opened many doors in the Big Smoke.
Ross then spent two years in London cultivating an exotic image of the scribbling Scotsman abroad.
Longing for the cold and damp of the North, Ross returned to Glasgow, where he spends his time writing and illustrating children's books, doing animation character development, walking the dug by the banks of Loch Lomond and precariously swinging backwards on chairs.
from http://www.rosscollins.net/whothisguy...
He would eat anything and resembled a currant bun.
As he grew up he was fond of drawing, the Bionic Man and precariously swinging backwards on chairs.
He graduated from the Glasgow School of Art in 1994 with a First in Illustration. In the same year he won the MacMillan Children's Book Prize an achievement that opened many doors in the Big Smoke.
Ross then spent two years in London cultivating an exotic image of the scribbling Scotsman abroad.
Longing for the cold and damp of the North, Ross returned to Glasgow, where he spends his time writing and illustrating children's books, doing animation character development, walking the dug by the banks of Loch Lomond and precariously swinging backwards on chairs.
from http://www.rosscollins.net/whothisguy...
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 9, 2025
Delightful! It’s true—picky eaters have been a headache since the beginning of time. As a mother, I worry (and still do) that my child will end up paper thin and someone will find me unfit to parent as well. Unfortunately, the book alleviates none of that anxiety 😅
I also really like the comic book–style illustrations—easy to read and mesmerizing for both adult and child.
I also really like the comic book–style illustrations—easy to read and mesmerizing for both adult and child.
January 24, 2022
If you've ever despaired over a child who is so picky that they choose to eat just one or two things, then this comical book is for you. The illustrations are fantastic and lend to the zany dialogue.
August 2, 2022
This book is just too adorable! The illustrations are cute and the story is so well done!
October 11, 2017
Alvie is a boy who only eats soup, much to the dismay of his parents. Things only get worse when Granny Franny, a famous chef, plans a visit.
February 8, 2023
As a very picky eater I used to love reading this book as a kid. It gave me something to relate to because my family was always annoyed with my eating habits. This is such a silly little book and I always enjoy looking through it again.
February 23, 2015
A fun book that deals in a playful manner with the subject of parents' anxiety over their "picky-eater" children. Layered graphics from multiple angles/perspectives and a busy word balloon-filled layout add to the fun.
The only problem I had with this book is the illustration of the Asian student on approx. page 9 (unnumbered copy), headed with "At school Alvie would never swap."
The boy is illustrated with a disturbingly high number of stereotypical racist characteristics--to a level that had me checking the copyright because it felt like it was from a much older era. The Asian boy has a stiff bowl-cut hairdo, round thick glasses (you cannot see his eyes), and buck teeth. In addition, he's pointing to the peeled banana in his hand and saying "Swap you for my banana." It reminded me of WWII propaganda posters, slurs such as "yellow monkey," "buck-toothed Jap," etc.
It is, of course, only one out of many illustrations in the book, but for someone who grew up bombarded by such racist images, it unfortunately tainted the light-hearted and warm feeling that should have lasted to the very last page.
There is a bit of "balance" created by Alvie's younger sister appearing to be an adopted Asian girl, but oh... I do wish the illustrator and editor(s) had been more aware of how loaded the image would be for Asian Americans/etc. who grew up with this sort of stereotypical illustration that reinforced the racist belief that we "all looked alike," were inherently ugly/undesirable, and forever the enemy of Americans--an unassimilable "other."
The only problem I had with this book is the illustration of the Asian student on approx. page 9 (unnumbered copy), headed with "At school Alvie would never swap."
The boy is illustrated with a disturbingly high number of stereotypical racist characteristics--to a level that had me checking the copyright because it felt like it was from a much older era. The Asian boy has a stiff bowl-cut hairdo, round thick glasses (you cannot see his eyes), and buck teeth. In addition, he's pointing to the peeled banana in his hand and saying "Swap you for my banana." It reminded me of WWII propaganda posters, slurs such as "yellow monkey," "buck-toothed Jap," etc.
It is, of course, only one out of many illustrations in the book, but for someone who grew up bombarded by such racist images, it unfortunately tainted the light-hearted and warm feeling that should have lasted to the very last page.
There is a bit of "balance" created by Alvie's younger sister appearing to be an adopted Asian girl, but oh... I do wish the illustrator and editor(s) had been more aware of how loaded the image would be for Asian Americans/etc. who grew up with this sort of stereotypical illustration that reinforced the racist belief that we "all looked alike," were inherently ugly/undesirable, and forever the enemy of Americans--an unassimilable "other."
August 19, 2013
Too say that Alvie eats soup is somewhat of an understatement. I think if I were titling this book I would have either called it Alvie Eats Soup, Only Soup, Nothing But Soup or Alvie Eats Soup: a modern tall tale because Alvie eats nothing but soup. He is beyond the epitome of the picky eater, he is the hyperbole of a picky eater. And in tall tale format, his parents go a bit overboard trying to cure him of this problem before his world famous chef grandmother comes to visit.
The book is humorous but not laugh out loud quality. It is really tempting to over-analyze the story and ask why the parents are so concerned about Alvie only eating soup but not concerned at all about his sister who eats EVERYTHING in sight. But it is a tall-tale, and in tall-tale style his sister who eats anything is the hyperbole counterpart to Alvie's hyperbole picky eater. My main complaint with the book is the way the text is displayed. It really can be all over the page, and in several different fonts which can make missing parts of the story all too easy. I would have preferred there to be more of a pattern to the text font and placement for easier reading.
This would be a great choice when teaching about tall tales and hyperbole. It also might be a funny way to address picky eating.
The book is humorous but not laugh out loud quality. It is really tempting to over-analyze the story and ask why the parents are so concerned about Alvie only eating soup but not concerned at all about his sister who eats EVERYTHING in sight. But it is a tall-tale, and in tall-tale style his sister who eats anything is the hyperbole counterpart to Alvie's hyperbole picky eater. My main complaint with the book is the way the text is displayed. It really can be all over the page, and in several different fonts which can make missing parts of the story all too easy. I would have preferred there to be more of a pattern to the text font and placement for easier reading.
This would be a great choice when teaching about tall tales and hyperbole. It also might be a funny way to address picky eating.
June 1, 2010
This is the only one of the books we've been reading from this stack that I don't like reading too much. Fortunately, we are going to be gone for a week and a half and then it will be time for a new stack. Alvie only eats soup. His parents are overly worried about this and try everything they can to get him to eat other things. Including locking him in a padded cell with a table of food. Fun fun.
I probably liked this book more then Moira does. We haven't read it in a long time.
I probably liked this book more then Moira does. We haven't read it in a long time.
August 20, 2011
As the title proclaims Alvie only eats soup. If this was my child I would be stoked since at least their are a variety of soups to choose from. Alvie's parents however are less then stoked. They worry about what Alvie's grandmother will say. She is a world renown chef and often send her tasty meals and deserts for her grandchildren to enjoy. How crushed will she be to find out that her own grandson will not even sample her exquisite cooking?
June 10, 2009
Alvie is a picky eater, he only eats soup. His Granny, a famous chef, is coming for a visit. His parents try to get him to eat new foods, but all Alvie wants is soup. You will enjoy the ending.
The book has cute illustrations that remind me of a comic book - with text and illustrations combined.
The book has cute illustrations that remind me of a comic book - with text and illustrations combined.
September 21, 2015
Great story of a picky eater and how the parents try so hard to get him to eat other things. Only to realize their grandma, a famous chef, is just as picky. The illustrations are very animated and fun which helps really bring the worthy to life. I'm not s big fan of the word boxes but it is an interesting way to separate what they're saying from the story.
July 2, 2013
Lots of fun and clever with a cool illustration style. Adults will enjoy Alvie, as well.
Veg*n parents note: Alvie will only go to sleep if he is read soup recipes at night. The recipe included in the story is for a lamb meat stew.
Veg*n parents note: Alvie will only go to sleep if he is read soup recipes at night. The recipe included in the story is for a lamb meat stew.
April 7, 2010
Another great one by Ross Collins. Love the expressions on the parent's faces in this one, and Granny Franny's amorphous body.
December 8, 2012
Alvie is a VERY picky eater. and grandma is coming... i liked this book because the grandma is the opposite of Linus's blanket hating grandmother.
October 1, 2017
Be sure to read the back cover. The label on the soup can is hilarious.
May 18, 2014
Love this book. It is funny, well written and wonderfully illustrated. Use when teaching about Andy Warhol.
May 28, 2019
Alvie's parents are at their wit's end when his famous Gourmet Granny is coming to visit and will find out that Alvie only eats soup. Little do they know she has a peculiarity too.
September 20, 2016
Kids just eats what his grandmother eats until she comes and eats something else.
I thought it was okay but my kids HATED it
I thought it was okay but my kids HATED it
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews