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The Soap Lady
Inspired by a real saponified (turned to soap) female mummy that resides in the Mutter Museum at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Renee French's all-new, feature-length picture book, The Soap Lady, is a wonderfully entrancing and eccentric tale about a boy, a monster, a ventriloquist dummy, a number of bloodthirsty townspeople, and those soap horns your mom used to give you in the bubble bath. A sweet and yet unsettling story about love, loss and friendship, illustrated in the gorgeously detailed and soft-textured signature style that is Renee French's trademark. Definitely Renee's most ambitious and magnificent work to date, packaged beautifully in a deluxe hardcover format. For adults and children alike.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
80 people want to read
About the author
Renée French
46 books52 followersRenée French is a an American cartoonist and illustrator. Her work has been widely anthologized, and she is the author of the graphic novel The Ticking.
French is also a children book author, with the pen name Rainy Dohaney .
French is also a children book author, with the pen name Rainy Dohaney .
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 20, 2008
Renee French, The Soap Lady (Top Shelf, 2001)
Renee French creates small, unassuming, quietly devastating graphic novels that have gotten far less exposure than they deserve. The Soap Lady, a cautionary tale about the hazards of xenophobia, is no different. Drawing inspiration from an exhibit at the Mutter Museum, French tells the story of a lady made of soap (as you might be able to guess from the title) who emerges from the water and befriends a young boy. Unfortunately, the boy's fellow villagers are not as fond of the soap lady as he is, with the expected results, but French doesn't let the narrative drown in despair at any point.
Not that the narrative is the centerpiece of any Renee French release; her drawings command attention. It's possible to spend half an hour or more just staring at a French drawing, finding all the odd little details and appreciating the art for what it is. I am extremely fond of the work of Renee French, and The Soap Lady is just another example of why. ****
Renee French creates small, unassuming, quietly devastating graphic novels that have gotten far less exposure than they deserve. The Soap Lady, a cautionary tale about the hazards of xenophobia, is no different. Drawing inspiration from an exhibit at the Mutter Museum, French tells the story of a lady made of soap (as you might be able to guess from the title) who emerges from the water and befriends a young boy. Unfortunately, the boy's fellow villagers are not as fond of the soap lady as he is, with the expected results, but French doesn't let the narrative drown in despair at any point.
Not that the narrative is the centerpiece of any Renee French release; her drawings command attention. It's possible to spend half an hour or more just staring at a French drawing, finding all the odd little details and appreciating the art for what it is. I am extremely fond of the work of Renee French, and The Soap Lady is just another example of why. ****
August 6, 2007
This is about a little boy named Rollo who can not stay clean and wants to oh, so bad so he can have a ventriloquist dummy. This lady made out of soap comes out of bay and cleans young rollo. Her and Rollo have some soapy adventures and then there is an angry mob. Wanna know how it ends? Read it yourself.
May 3, 2009
I don't know what to think about this book... if you're dirty the soap lady will clean you. The art in this book is fabulous. Don't forget to count the rabbits.
May 3, 2009
Everyone should read the soap lady. This is a must read. Amazing illustrations. I don't like Oliver's dad.
October 6, 2015
This was a simple story with great illustrations, but after reading the note at the end of the book, I was disappointed. This is based on a real case of a dead woman pulled from a lake made of "soap", and I feel like the potential for an interesting, imaginative tale was there. Instead, the story seemed a simplistic moral one about the persecution of those who are "different". It's a valuable lesson for children, but I almost feel as if this story would have been better suited to an adult graphic novel where the author would have been free to explore the macabre aspects of this fascinating historical tidbit.
May 19, 2008
Totally strange but very fun. I used to cry when the Soap lady did because I love her SO MUCH!
January 31, 2016
Haunting and beautiful.
December 30, 2022
(I saw this book once, months ago, in my favorite bookstore. I didn’t buy it because it is a whimsical tale that, on the surface, is about getting reluctant boys [and girls] into the bathtub. However, the story stuck with me and I came to regret not getting it for my own. But fortune smiles on persistent, keen-eyed bibliophiles. I found this book again as a free offering in my local library!)
With a core of deep friendship and artful drawings in black, white and gray propelling the story, we find a lonely boy who longs for companionship. He’s not connecting with other children; he simply wants a special toy and he’s promised his mother that he’ll stay clean for an entire week in order to get it. However, Rollo attracts dirt the way a dog attracts fleas and he despairs at fulfilling his promise.
The Soap Lady is bizarre to behold. With an oversized head that looks like a child’s depiction of a skull, spindly arms, knobby-kneed legs and a portly body with drooping breasts and belly, you would expect Rollo to be frightened of her. But his misery over his dirty state far outweighs any concerns about her appearance.
The lady and Rollo form an unlikely but compelling friendship. Rollo is cheered by her ability to clean him with simple touches and she takes comfort in his unabashed delight over her artwork and kindness towards dirty creatures. She genuinely likes Rollo. Her sweet nature and his willing acceptance of her, in spite of her odd appearance, are lovely to read.
As a story of friendship (and the fun that can be had in the bathtub), this is an unusual book and one to treasure. The inspiration for it can be found in the back of the book (proving once again that it pays to read acknowledgements, exordiums and author’s notes) and is in itself a fascinating little coda. Take a look at the wonderful endpapers, too, depicting images of hand-washing ablutions with soap, water and towels, making this book contemporary as well as appealing.
With a core of deep friendship and artful drawings in black, white and gray propelling the story, we find a lonely boy who longs for companionship. He’s not connecting with other children; he simply wants a special toy and he’s promised his mother that he’ll stay clean for an entire week in order to get it. However, Rollo attracts dirt the way a dog attracts fleas and he despairs at fulfilling his promise.
The Soap Lady is bizarre to behold. With an oversized head that looks like a child’s depiction of a skull, spindly arms, knobby-kneed legs and a portly body with drooping breasts and belly, you would expect Rollo to be frightened of her. But his misery over his dirty state far outweighs any concerns about her appearance.
The lady and Rollo form an unlikely but compelling friendship. Rollo is cheered by her ability to clean him with simple touches and she takes comfort in his unabashed delight over her artwork and kindness towards dirty creatures. She genuinely likes Rollo. Her sweet nature and his willing acceptance of her, in spite of her odd appearance, are lovely to read.
As a story of friendship (and the fun that can be had in the bathtub), this is an unusual book and one to treasure. The inspiration for it can be found in the back of the book (proving once again that it pays to read acknowledgements, exordiums and author’s notes) and is in itself a fascinating little coda. Take a look at the wonderful endpapers, too, depicting images of hand-washing ablutions with soap, water and towels, making this book contemporary as well as appealing.
April 2, 2019
Renée que decirte, tkm.
June 13, 2014
Creepy and lovely at the same time. Great art work. Based on an actual exhibit at the Mutter Museum in Philly, another reviewer calls it a "soapified mummy" that was actually found and brought to the museum… it has the creep factor like Edward Gorey, Neil Gaiman, with creepy little kids with big eyes…. I don't LOVE it because it is so creepy, but at the same time I completely admire its creepiness, its uniqueness among children's books, the way it achieves a kind of tenderness in spite of its creepiness…. the soap lady befriending a little muddy boy who, if he can stay clean for a week, gets to have a ventriloquist's dummy. You don't read two stories like this. You've never read this story before. It is completely original and edgy. There are many many ABC little furry bunny kid stories, but this is a niche book for kids who like other than merely cute. And adults who like that kinda stuff, too.
August 1, 2009
Back in the day, Renee French was doing little enough work I would willingly snap up anything I found her name on. I think I was a little disappointed when this came out. The art was a little too cutesy and the story just a bit too corny for my taste, and my expectations of French.
However, now I've got a kid -- as you do -- and I'm reading this to her -- as you do -- and I'm glad I have it, because she likes it. Even more than she likes Edward Gorey's The Bug Book (but not more than Gaiman's The Wolves in the Walls)...and that's all right.
However, now I've got a kid -- as you do -- and I'm reading this to her -- as you do -- and I'm glad I have it, because she likes it. Even more than she likes Edward Gorey's The Bug Book (but not more than Gaiman's The Wolves in the Walls)...and that's all right.
May 23, 2007
THIS BOOK IS CRAZY FUCKED UP. It's a fictional story (thankfully) based around a real soapified mummy lady on display at the Mutter Museum in PA. She looks like a pregnant skeleton, emerges from the water, befriends and cleans a little boy much to the dismay of the other dirty, less open-minded townspeople and their pitchforks.
January 11, 2008
AAAAHHHHH creepiest kids book EVER! Saponification!
December 6, 2009
this was a graphic novel but a really boring one, more like for caroline maybe. i found no point to it and thought it was poorly written.
March 15, 2008
I love this book: it has a really good story and I like the black and white drawings!--G
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews