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Stone Soup
A clever young man tricks an old woman into believing that soup can be made from a stone. As the pot of water boils with the stone in it, he urges her to add more and more ingredients until the soup is a feast "fit for a king".
32 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1971
33 people are currently reading
3042 people want to read
About the author
Ann McGovern
103 books49 followersAnn McGovern Scheiner (née Weinberger) was an American writer of more than 55 children's books, selling over 30 million copies. She may be best known for her adaptation of Stone Soup, as well as Too Much Noise, historical and travel non-fiction, and biographies of figures like Harriet Tubman and Deborah Sampson Gannett and Eugenie Clark.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 277 reviews
February 18, 2011
One of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes says "No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond." With this in mind I have recently decided to purchase some of my favorite childhood books, and read through them. This classic folktale has always been one of my favorites. As a child I enjoyed many different versions of the story, but the drawings in this edition were always particularly enjoyable for me. This book has reminded me how important it is to always remain optimistic, and it has great drawings that still make me smile. If you have children, or enjoy storybooks this would be a nice addition to your collection. I especially enjoy the illustrations because they are somewhat gothic. They have dark little details that are fun to pick out.
November 4, 2016
First read: who knows. 1984?
This was one of my favorite books as a kid. I always wanted a copy but never had one, and then the other day I realized I was an adult with a credit card and I could remedy the situation. Turns out I still love this book!
This was one of my favorite books as a kid. I always wanted a copy but never had one, and then the other day I realized I was an adult with a credit card and I could remedy the situation. Turns out I still love this book!
November 14, 2017
Another book from my childhood that I introduced to my kids. Such a fun way to spend some time thinking about food and togetherness.
September 11, 2021
an absolute childhood favorite.
September 18, 2020
A touching story with good illustrations.
A witty boy outsmarting an uncharitable old lady..
We enjoyed both the story, its tone and the way the soups ingredients were listed..good for narration..
and of course the illustrations are realy nice.. to talk about..
A witty boy outsmarting an uncharitable old lady..
We enjoyed both the story, its tone and the way the soups ingredients were listed..good for narration..
and of course the illustrations are realy nice.. to talk about..
November 29, 2017
I would recommend this book for the primary grades, second through third grade. I would categorize it as traditional literature.
I am really confused right now. I have heard numerous things about this amazing book called Stone Soup. It is supposedly about sharing and a great book for children. Let me save you the trouble, this is not that book! There are two books titled Stone Soup, and this one literally doesn't make any sense at all. I still don't understand what the point of this book was. A boy wanted some soup from this old lady and she continually told him no. He gave her this stone, and told her to boil it. He tricked her into adding vegetables to the soup, ate the soup, grabbed the stone, and left. Basically he is a jerk and manipulated an old lady. I wouldn't use this book in my classroom because I don't understand it myself.
I am really confused right now. I have heard numerous things about this amazing book called Stone Soup. It is supposedly about sharing and a great book for children. Let me save you the trouble, this is not that book! There are two books titled Stone Soup, and this one literally doesn't make any sense at all. I still don't understand what the point of this book was. A boy wanted some soup from this old lady and she continually told him no. He gave her this stone, and told her to boil it. He tricked her into adding vegetables to the soup, ate the soup, grabbed the stone, and left. Basically he is a jerk and manipulated an old lady. I wouldn't use this book in my classroom because I don't understand it myself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2020
A poor man earns a meal by sharing his magical soup stone with a little old lady.
Read for B&R-K.
This is a bit old fashioned. I vaguely remember it from my own childhood.
I'm not sure what to make of the MC earning a free meal through trickery, but this worked as a transition into talking about S-words and making our own veggie soup (sans stone).
Read for B&R-K.
This is a bit old fashioned. I vaguely remember it from my own childhood.
I'm not sure what to make of the MC earning a free meal through trickery, but this worked as a transition into talking about S-words and making our own veggie soup (sans stone).
September 11, 2020
This book had a companion cassette when I was little and I would listen to/read it over and over. I love the repetitions that give it a nursery rhyme or fairy tail quality and the great illustrations (that crow just cracked me up as a kid). I'm really enjoying reading it again to my little one.
Soup from a stone, fancy that!
Soup from a stone, fancy that!
November 6, 2019
Funny story of a boy that tricks an old woman by showing her how to make soup from stone.
December 26, 2019
A fun folktale whose excellent illustrations really bring it to life.
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October 20, 2021Read this to Hercules because he’s not feeling well today
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September 12, 2024this book has a CHOKEHOLD on my childhood i can literally taste that soup
July 31, 2021
Listened to on YouTube
November 4, 2019
Text- to- Text connection:
Stone soup has always been one of my favorite books. this book always makes me think of the book Piggy Pie by Margie Palantini. Both books are about someone trying to make a soup but not having all the proper ingredients. In both stories, someone is getting tricked by another character. in piggy pie, the witch was getting tricked by the pigs, and in Stone soup the little boy was tricking the little old lady.
Stone soup has always been one of my favorite books. this book always makes me think of the book Piggy Pie by Margie Palantini. Both books are about someone trying to make a soup but not having all the proper ingredients. In both stories, someone is getting tricked by another character. in piggy pie, the witch was getting tricked by the pigs, and in Stone soup the little boy was tricking the little old lady.
December 21, 2021
More like stone poop
February 7, 2025
Un libro de mi infancia que recuerdo con cariño.
November 12, 2019
Text-to-text connection
There are so versions of this book floating around yet this is my first time seeing this particular story by Ann McGovern. I loved the simplicity of the book and how with repetition, it make the story richer and more fun. The illustrations were vibrant, reminding me of its connection to the other versions, being based around a 'olden days' time era.
There are so versions of this book floating around yet this is my first time seeing this particular story by Ann McGovern. I loved the simplicity of the book and how with repetition, it make the story richer and more fun. The illustrations were vibrant, reminding me of its connection to the other versions, being based around a 'olden days' time era.
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January 26, 2017Text- to Self Connection
I read Stone Soup for the first time by Ann McGovern. I have always heard of this story but never read it I like this book because I can relate to it. It reminds me of my childhood life. While, growing up as a child my grandmother and father always cooked soups. We had soup of all kind the most famous on was beef soup as in the story. And now I continue the tradition in my household with my children. I add just as many vegetables as the ones in the story. As an educator in the classroom, I would do a chart with pictures of vegetables to see what the students like in their soup.
I read Stone Soup for the first time by Ann McGovern. I have always heard of this story but never read it I like this book because I can relate to it. It reminds me of my childhood life. While, growing up as a child my grandmother and father always cooked soups. We had soup of all kind the most famous on was beef soup as in the story. And now I continue the tradition in my household with my children. I add just as many vegetables as the ones in the story. As an educator in the classroom, I would do a chart with pictures of vegetables to see what the students like in their soup.
September 29, 2021
"Soup from a stone," said the little old lady. "Fancy that."
What a great story to read before teaching your son how to make beef soup. We even included the stone.
What a great story to read before teaching your son how to make beef soup. We even included the stone.
June 4, 2017
McGovern, Ann (1986). Stone Soup Scholastic
This book tells a clever story about a hungry young man and his journey with making stone soup. Children who read this story will find the tale funny and clever while they read about the young man tricking the woman. The story shows how the simplest idea can make something good happen in the long run. Being careful with your words and how you use them, is a big thing in this story, because you find the young man using his words to get what he wants. This story can help children learn how to read because it repeats words throughout the story so the child can easily follow along.
This story does not open with a traditional opening, it goes straight to the story with the young man walking and being so tired and hungry. There are many stories about the stone soup, that are told the same way but with different characters. The Stone Soup by Marcia Brown starts off with three soldiers walking down the road, instead of a young man. The setting of the story does take place in a cottage that reflects the European traditional element. An old woman lives in the simple cottage and does not offer the young man some food, this represents the characters in the story. There are only two characters mentioned in the story with no helper that uses magic, but there is a crow that appears with the young boy on every page. This would fit the traditional element of the characters, because they are identified easily as the hero being the young man and the rival being the old woman. The theme of the story teaches the audience to always be nice at the beginning or you will be tricked by the end. The tale type is found in many adaptations of the story, and movies. Hungry people trick a town or a couple of people to make them soup out of an object that would not usually be found in soup. There is an Eastern European version of the story that uses an axe instead a stone to make the soup.
This book tells a clever story about a hungry young man and his journey with making stone soup. Children who read this story will find the tale funny and clever while they read about the young man tricking the woman. The story shows how the simplest idea can make something good happen in the long run. Being careful with your words and how you use them, is a big thing in this story, because you find the young man using his words to get what he wants. This story can help children learn how to read because it repeats words throughout the story so the child can easily follow along.
This story does not open with a traditional opening, it goes straight to the story with the young man walking and being so tired and hungry. There are many stories about the stone soup, that are told the same way but with different characters. The Stone Soup by Marcia Brown starts off with three soldiers walking down the road, instead of a young man. The setting of the story does take place in a cottage that reflects the European traditional element. An old woman lives in the simple cottage and does not offer the young man some food, this represents the characters in the story. There are only two characters mentioned in the story with no helper that uses magic, but there is a crow that appears with the young boy on every page. This would fit the traditional element of the characters, because they are identified easily as the hero being the young man and the rival being the old woman. The theme of the story teaches the audience to always be nice at the beginning or you will be tricked by the end. The tale type is found in many adaptations of the story, and movies. Hungry people trick a town or a couple of people to make them soup out of an object that would not usually be found in soup. There is an Eastern European version of the story that uses an axe instead a stone to make the soup.
October 6, 2022
I was thinking back to what stories stuck with me when I was a child, and when I came across this one, I smiled. Stone Soup, by Ann McGovern, as published in 1968, with pictures by Winslow Pinney Pels included in 1986.
This isn't the first telling of this story. Actually, it's an old story and an earlier version of the story was awarded a Newbery Honor Award. But not this version. While the earlier version focused on the community coming together in order to help one and all, this version takes on a more sinister approach.
In this retelling, a young man is traveling and gets very hungry, so he stops at a little old lady's house and asks to rest and have a bite to eat. At first, the little old lady refuses to help, but only until the young man tricks her into asking for a stone. When she questions his motives for wanting the stone, he claims he can make soup from a stone.
Intrigued by this, the little old lady wants the young man to show her how on earth one makes soup from a stone. What follows is a clever story that leaves one smirking with joy. And re-reading this book now that I'm far removed from being a child, I can say that while I appreciate the messaging of the earlier version, this is the one that is closest to my heart, and still made me chuckle.
I'm also a fan of soup, so I thought because it's autumn and the leaves are falling and the weather outside is getting cooler, a story about a hearty warm bowl of soup sounded perfectly appropriate for this time of the year. If you're looking for a book about community and togetherness, skip this book. But if you're looking for a book about how to survive in a harsh and cruel world, this is the book for you and your family to read aloud together. I'm so glad this book is still available and still holds up after all these years. My rating - 5/5
This isn't the first telling of this story. Actually, it's an old story and an earlier version of the story was awarded a Newbery Honor Award. But not this version. While the earlier version focused on the community coming together in order to help one and all, this version takes on a more sinister approach.
In this retelling, a young man is traveling and gets very hungry, so he stops at a little old lady's house and asks to rest and have a bite to eat. At first, the little old lady refuses to help, but only until the young man tricks her into asking for a stone. When she questions his motives for wanting the stone, he claims he can make soup from a stone.
Intrigued by this, the little old lady wants the young man to show her how on earth one makes soup from a stone. What follows is a clever story that leaves one smirking with joy. And re-reading this book now that I'm far removed from being a child, I can say that while I appreciate the messaging of the earlier version, this is the one that is closest to my heart, and still made me chuckle.
I'm also a fan of soup, so I thought because it's autumn and the leaves are falling and the weather outside is getting cooler, a story about a hearty warm bowl of soup sounded perfectly appropriate for this time of the year. If you're looking for a book about community and togetherness, skip this book. But if you're looking for a book about how to survive in a harsh and cruel world, this is the book for you and your family to read aloud together. I'm so glad this book is still available and still holds up after all these years. My rating - 5/5
April 23, 2021
I remember reading this book when I was in elementary school and finding it quite comical. The fable of this european tale was all about the value of sharing, something I think should be directly and explicitly taught to elementary age students. Ann Mcgovern’s rendition of “Soup Stone” was made even better by it’s illustrations and characters.
The repetition makes it nice for students to read along with in a read aloud setting and would allow them to use a prediction comprehension tool. I would mostly likely use this text in a read aloud setting for third graders, because of the moral and text level.
As mentioned earlier, I would definitely use this book in a unit about sharing and kindness. The whole point of the story was if the woman had shared some food willingly, the man would not have tricked her into sharing. I also think this would be a good book to use when talking about sequence or order of events. Students could put the foods in order of when they were introduced in the story.
This was a WOW book to me because of its moral. Sharing and kindness is a big passion of mine, especially when it applies to elementary school. I think the illustrations are engaging and it would be a perfect read aloud for students.
The repetition makes it nice for students to read along with in a read aloud setting and would allow them to use a prediction comprehension tool. I would mostly likely use this text in a read aloud setting for third graders, because of the moral and text level.
As mentioned earlier, I would definitely use this book in a unit about sharing and kindness. The whole point of the story was if the woman had shared some food willingly, the man would not have tricked her into sharing. I also think this would be a good book to use when talking about sequence or order of events. Students could put the foods in order of when they were introduced in the story.
This was a WOW book to me because of its moral. Sharing and kindness is a big passion of mine, especially when it applies to elementary school. I think the illustrations are engaging and it would be a perfect read aloud for students.
picture-books
August 11, 2022Virtual Storytime (handout)
Book one (5-8) minutes: Stone Soup by Ann McGovern
Song/Game One (3-4 minutes): ‘Stone Soup’ by the Learning Station
Book two (5-8 minutes): Bone Soup by Alyssa Capucilli
Song/Game two (3-4 minutes): Monster Idol by Super Simple Songs
Book three (5-8 minutes): Alphabet Soup: A Feast of Letters by Scott Gustafson
Song/ Game Three: Alphabet Soup Song Jack Hartman
Sign Language: soup, rock, warm, eat, friends
Stone soup reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF1NU...
Stone soup song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFhH3...
Bone Soup reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EvY7...
Monster Alphabet Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDdg2...
Alphabet Soup: A Feast of Letters Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f3IE...
Alphabet Soup Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXqEt...
Activity: https://www.crayola.com/-/media/Crayo...
Book one (5-8) minutes: Stone Soup by Ann McGovern
Song/Game One (3-4 minutes): ‘Stone Soup’ by the Learning Station
Book two (5-8 minutes): Bone Soup by Alyssa Capucilli
Song/Game two (3-4 minutes): Monster Idol by Super Simple Songs
Book three (5-8 minutes): Alphabet Soup: A Feast of Letters by Scott Gustafson
Song/ Game Three: Alphabet Soup Song Jack Hartman
Sign Language: soup, rock, warm, eat, friends
Stone soup reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF1NU...
Stone soup song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFhH3...
Bone Soup reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EvY7...
Monster Alphabet Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDdg2...
Alphabet Soup: A Feast of Letters Reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1f3IE...
Alphabet Soup Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXqEt...
Activity: https://www.crayola.com/-/media/Crayo...
July 30, 2023
I'm going through and rereading books that I read as a child. As C. S. Lewis said, “A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest.”
This book is fun with a mischievous main character who is hungry but refused food at first. He tells the woman he can make soup out of a stone and they proceed to dress up the meal throughout the story with him adding every once in a while things such as, "It smells good now," said the hungry young man. "But it would smell better with some carrots." The listing of ingredients is good for out loud reading/narration to children.
Easily one of my most cherished stories as a child and there are so many different versions of it. The art in this particular book is one of my favorites due to all of the little details such as the crow on every page doing his own thing and the old woman's pins and needles poked into the big tuft on the back of her dress. Cute story on the value of sharing and helping someone in need.
This book is fun with a mischievous main character who is hungry but refused food at first. He tells the woman he can make soup out of a stone and they proceed to dress up the meal throughout the story with him adding every once in a while things such as, "It smells good now," said the hungry young man. "But it would smell better with some carrots." The listing of ingredients is good for out loud reading/narration to children.
Easily one of my most cherished stories as a child and there are so many different versions of it. The art in this particular book is one of my favorites due to all of the little details such as the crow on every page doing his own thing and the old woman's pins and needles poked into the big tuft on the back of her dress. Cute story on the value of sharing and helping someone in need.
November 8, 2021
Stone Soup, by Ann McGovern, is a classic award winning book that all children should hear. There are so many lessons to be learned as the little old lady produces soup from a stone (fancy that). This is one of the first stories I remember hearing where I connected "learning to share" with the text. Sharing what you have, even if you don't have a lot, impacts those around you. What a lesson to be learned.
The illustrations for this book are wonderful. The pictures of the young man and the old woman helps the reader to "deep dive" into the innocence and limitless possibilities seen envisioned by the young and how that changes to a "protect what is mine" mindset as we age. Stone Soup is a reminder that we don't have to let that happen. Imagine what life would be like if we embraced the roles we play in our community and accepted everyone as that...a community. We help each other, we support each other, we need each other in order to thrive. What a concept?! We can't start teaching this lesson at too young of an age. Stone Soup is a great way to start...fancy that.
The illustrations for this book are wonderful. The pictures of the young man and the old woman helps the reader to "deep dive" into the innocence and limitless possibilities seen envisioned by the young and how that changes to a "protect what is mine" mindset as we age. Stone Soup is a reminder that we don't have to let that happen. Imagine what life would be like if we embraced the roles we play in our community and accepted everyone as that...a community. We help each other, we support each other, we need each other in order to thrive. What a concept?! We can't start teaching this lesson at too young of an age. Stone Soup is a great way to start...fancy that.
April 8, 2022
I had two problems with this version of the well-known folk tale. The first you can easily check out (and disagree with, if you do) by looking closely at the front of the book. Both characters, the hero boy and the woman he tricks, are drawn as grotesques. I don’t mean that the quality of the art work was poor: it certainly wasn’t. I mean that both characters are deliberately drawn to be, shall we say ‘homely’ and physically misshapen.
The second problem was more substantial. This tale comes with a moral: clever youth tricks various neighbors (or just one old woman in this telling) into giving him the ingredients to make vegetable soup. Whether you find this lesson admirable or not, or simply amusing, I doubt many 5-8-year-old children (according to outside blurb—I’d say 5-6 judging by the simplicity of the language) would be able to articulate the point of the story from this telling, without some help from an adult.
The second problem was more substantial. This tale comes with a moral: clever youth tricks various neighbors (or just one old woman in this telling) into giving him the ingredients to make vegetable soup. Whether you find this lesson admirable or not, or simply amusing, I doubt many 5-8-year-old children (according to outside blurb—I’d say 5-6 judging by the simplicity of the language) would be able to articulate the point of the story from this telling, without some help from an adult.
May 26, 2022
Stone Soup by Ann McGovern (goodreads author), Illustrator Winslow Pinney Pels, Hindi language translation by Vidushak- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- The book narrates the story of a young boy who walks continuously day and night. He is tired and reaches a house with a beautiful garden. He knocks at the door. She opens the door. The boy enters the house and requests for food. When she refuses food, the boys says that he is prepared to eat stone soup. The lady brings water, put the stone in it and places the bowl on the oven to boil. The boy requests her add a few onions, then tomatoes, then carrots, salt, black pepper. The soup is ready. The lady says that this soup is fit to be laid before a King to eat. She lays down a new cover on the dining table. Both eat the soup. The boy stays for the night, takes the brown stone and moves out on his journey. Coloured illustrations help the reader in relating to the story. I have read the Hindi language translation of this book.
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November 4, 2020Awards:
-Randolph Caldecott Medal 1948
Grade Level: Pre-K-5
Summary: A clever, hungry boy is able to get an old lady to feed him by making soup from a stone. He is able to convince her he can make soup from a stone by having her slowly add other ingredients to it.
Review: This book is a great lesson about sharing and how easily a little bit can go a long way. This story is timeless and the illustrations bring it to life for kids of all ages.
Class Uses: We can use this book as a way to practice writing skills. After reading the book once, the class can go to their seats and the teacher will read the story again. Students will write down the recipe for stone soup step by step, then create their own illustrations. This book is also obviously a good opportunity to discuss the importance of sharing and how it is not as hard as it seems.
-Randolph Caldecott Medal 1948
Grade Level: Pre-K-5
Summary: A clever, hungry boy is able to get an old lady to feed him by making soup from a stone. He is able to convince her he can make soup from a stone by having her slowly add other ingredients to it.
Review: This book is a great lesson about sharing and how easily a little bit can go a long way. This story is timeless and the illustrations bring it to life for kids of all ages.
Class Uses: We can use this book as a way to practice writing skills. After reading the book once, the class can go to their seats and the teacher will read the story again. Students will write down the recipe for stone soup step by step, then create their own illustrations. This book is also obviously a good opportunity to discuss the importance of sharing and how it is not as hard as it seems.
November 25, 2017
Stone soup is a very fun story about a young man who tricks an old woman in order to get some food. The man convinces the woman that he can make soup from a stone! However, after every step of the soup making process he seems to need some sort of other ingredient to achieve the final product. After adding the final ingredients the man gets what he wanted all along, something to eat and a place to eat it. This would be a great story for young readers because the words are not too difficult and there is a lot of repetition throughout the story so that students don't have to work through a lot of different and difficult words. Overall, this was a great story for any age and really captured the reader in to see if the young man could really trick the old woman.
April 19, 2020
I was read this book too several times in my childhood. This book is about a young man who tricks an old lady in think a soup can be made from stone. He urges to keep adding ingredients to it until it becomes a hearty soup. My only criticism for this book is that the pictures are unnecessarily dark in my opinion for a funny story. This book could be used as a whole group discussion to compare this book with the other version of this story by Heather Forest. I would create a large graphic organizer and during carpet time ask them to differentiate between the similarities and differences between these stores. This would elevate their learning to an even high level and would be especially helpful for the students that are visual learners.
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