Stone Soup - Folklore

Stone Soup

Author: Retold by Jon Muth

Genre: Folktale, Fable

Publisher: Scholastic

Copyright Date: 2003

Number of Pages: 32

Awards: National Parenting Book Award

Grade Level: K-3

Summary:

Stone Soup follows three weary travelers as they enter a village seeking food and shelter for the night. House after house they are turned away with empty hands and stomachs, knowing that the villagers do in fact have food and room to spare them. The three travels decide to trick the villagers and begin proclaiming a feast fit for a king of stone soup would be available to the entire village. Slowly the stone soup attracts the villagers who learn an important lesson by the time the soup is done simmering.

Use in Teaching: 

Stone Soup would be a great book to use for teaching compassion/sharing to young students. Start by having students think of a time that a friend or family member shared something special with them and how that made them feel. Having students think of a time when they asked for someone to share something and that person refused and how that made them feel. After reading the story discuss how the village was before they shared and how the village was after the travelers had tricked the villagers. As part of this it would be fun to do a little skit with students. Have them recreate the story and actually make 'stone soup' in the classroom.

	3 Bookmarks	2 Bookmarks	1 Bookmark	0 Bookmarks	Comments
Plot	These books consist of a well-developed plot with includes all five elements of a good plot structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution).	These books have a defined plot that might be lacking one of the five elements of plot structure.	The books have a weak plot that is difficult to follow and/or is missing two of the five elements of plot structure.	The books do not have a defined plot structure which leaves the reader trying to guess the purpose of the story.	3 Bookmarks: Stone Soup has an easy to follow plot that contains all the elements for a good plot structure.
Character Development	These books have well rounded, believable characters with sufficient depth and personality.	Characters in these books are fairly well rounded but might be lacking in depth or personality, or believability.	Characters in these books are underdeveloped and lacking detail needed to have depth and believability.	Characters are evident but not developed.	3 Bookmarks: The three travelers as well as the many villagers are very well rounded and believable characters.
Pacing	The story moves and flows freely and does not feel rushed or too slow.	The story mostly moves and flows freely with occasional instances of being to slow or too fast.	The story often feels like it is moving too fast or too slow.	The pacing is entirely off causing the story to feel disjointed or illogical.	3 Bookmarks: Following the travelers from house to house and then through the process of making stone soup keeps the pacing right on target.
Overall	These are excellent books and are highly recommended.	These are good books are recommended.	These books are okay and would only be recommended with reservations.	These books are considered poor choices and are not recommended.	3 Bookmarks: A great read with an important lesson for both children and adults alike.