Soup in Love

Soup #12

by Robert Newton Peck

Determined to catch the attention of lovely Norma Jean and a pair of cute Texas twins, Soup and Rob set out to construct the biggest Valentine contraption ever and win the prize for the best Valentine in town. Reprint.

Genres: Childrens, Juvenile, Middle Grade

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Robert Newton Peck is an American author of books for young adults. His titles include Soup and A Day No Pigs Would Die. He claims to have been born on February 17, 1928, in Vermont, but has refused to specify where. Similarly, he claims to have graduated from a high school in Texas, which he has also refused to identify. Some sources state that he was born in Nashville, Tennessee (supposedly where his mother was born, though other sources indicate she was born in Ticonderoga, New York, and that Peck, himself, may have been born there). The only reasonably certain Vermont connection is that his father was born in Cornwall.

Peck has written over sixty books including a great book explaining his childhood to becoming a teenager working on the farm called: A Day no Pigs would Die

He was a smart student, although his schooling was cut short by World War II. During and shortly after the conflict, he served as a machine-gunner in the U.S. Army 88th Infantry Division. Upon returning to the United States, he entered Rollins College, graduating in 1953. He then entered Cornell Law School, but never finished his course of study.

Newton married Dorothy Anne Houston and fathered two children, Anne and Christopher. The best man at the wedding and the godfather to the children was Fred Rogers of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood fame.

A Day No Pigs Would Die was his first novel, published in 1972 when he was already 44 years old. From then on he continued his lifelong journey through literature. To date, he has been credited for writing 55 fiction books, 6 nonfiction books, 35 songs, 3 television specials and over a hundred poems.

Several of his historical novels are about Fort Ticonderoga: Fawn, Hang for Treason, The King's Iron.

In 1993, Peck was diagnosed with oral cancer, but survived. As of 2005, he was living in Longwood, Florida, where he has in the past served as the director of the Rollins College Writers Conference. Peck sings in a barbershop quartet, plays ragtime piano, and is an enthusiastic speaker. His hobby is visiting schools, "to turn kids on to books."

—From Wikipedia

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/robert-n...

Reviews

[Karina · Rating 2 out of 5]

It final come.
The calendar read February 14.
"It's here at last," said Soup Vinson.
"Yup," I agreed, "and today we present our special valentine box tot he entire town, win the prize, and also win the hearts of our favorite girls."
"All three of them," Soup said. (PG 91)

Goofy story about Soup and Robert in small town Learning back in a time where everyone watched out for one another and everyone knew each other. It was simple and sweet.

Boys, girls, Valentine's Day with a mixture of town characters. It was sweet the author dedicated this book to his Italian friends, in Italy and America. Salute!

I'm not the age range in this so I found it kind of simple and dumb. My 13 year-old would probably find it as dumb as his Dad is making him read the Iliad at the moment so maybe more for 8-10 year olds...?

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute children's story. I think 3rd through 5th grade boys would particularly like this identifying with Rob and Soap and all their antics and hijinks.

[Shawn Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with the whole Soup series, I recommend it!

Soup meets a girl and tries to profess his love. Hilarity and jocularity ensue.

Publisher: Yearling
Publication Date: 1988

Audience: 8-12
specific use: independent practice.
social issues: how romantic interests can get between two friends.
literacy elements: humor
genre: comedy

[Ch_beverlyatwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Soup is a nickname for Luther Vinson. Soup has a best friend named Robert Peck (same as the author.) Growing up in Learning, Maine, their teacher has an idea to decorate the town for Valentine's Day like a neighboring town does. Soup and Rob plan to use recycled items to make a memorable landing on main street in town with a large box full of valentines. The girls they impress by this stunt are their first loves after experincing a game of "Smooch" and they live happily ever after, in their small town, just waiting for Robert Peck to write about more of their crazy antics. A chapter book, suitable for Grades 4 and up may be of some interest to children thinking about their first loves.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the lesser novels in this series but those that are caught up in the characters will want to check up on them nonetheless.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a perfect Valentine's Day story full of lots of laughs.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband gave this to me one Valentine's Day. It's hilarious! I recomend reading at least Soup before reading this just to get the character down and then it is even funnier.

[Amanda Wige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderfully funny. Great books for guys to read.

[Lindsey Fleck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable and full of laughs as always... on to the next Soup book!

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

We loved this one!

[Jere Lorenzen-Strait · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I remember loving as a child. I was in 4th or 5th grade. I remember carrying the book with me all around the house and reading on the couch, on my bed, and in the kitchen. It was the first time I would get "book fever"… that overwhelming sense of being caught up in a story. I recall very few specifics of the book, but I remember the way it made me feel.