Pumpkin Soup - Softcover

Helen Cooper

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0552545104 ISBN 13: 9780552545105

Publisher: Picture Corgi Books, 1999

Synopsis

Cat, Duck and Squirrel live in an old white cabin, with a pumpkin patch in the garden. Every day Cat slices up some pumpkin, Squirrel stirs in some water and Duck tips in some salt to make perfect pumpkin soup...until the day Duck wants to do the stirring...A funny, rhythmical story about friendship and sharing, with fabulous animal characters, illustrated in glowing autumnal colours, which received rave reviews in hardback.

About this title

About the Author

Helen Cooper was born in London in 1963. She grew up in Cumbria and trained as a music teacher before turning her hand to children's books. She is now a highly successful full-time author illustrator and plays the piano just for fun. She lives in Highgate in North London with her author illustrator husband Ted Dewan. She is the only illustrator to win the prestigious Kate Greenaway Award for two consecutive books: The Baby Who Wouldn’t Go to Bed, and Pumpkin Soup.

From Publishers Weekly

This enchanting story explores the ups and downs of close-knit camaraderie. Beginning with a peek through a window where Cat, Squirrel and Duck are making music together, Cooper (The Boy Who Wouldn't Go to Bed) invites youngsters into their cozy pumpkin-shaped home. There's a rhythm to their lives: each has his own instrument to play and his own duties when it comes to cooking their famous pumpkin soup ("the best you ever tasted"). But one day, Duck decides to be the stirrer instead of the salt pourer, and an all-out battle ensues. Here the warm golden glow that has permeated their dwelling turns an angry orange-red with paws, wings and "@#$!"s flying. After Duck waddles off in a huff, the remaining pair heads out to hunt for himAto no avail. In a charming time-lapse sequence, vignettes of Cat and Squirrel moping on the steps of their house form an arc along the side of a spread ("So they waited.../ All that long afternoon..."). Mimicking grade-schoolers everywhere, Cat and Squirrel next decide to carry on with the cooking, adopting a we'll-show-him attitude. Of course the soup is too salty and the repentant pals begin to imagine scary scenarios of where Duck might be. But Duck does return, to a warm welcomeAuntil he suggests a turn on Cat's bagpipes. Thanks to Cooper's uncanny ability to capture the dynamics of friendship, children will be able to laugh at this trio (and themselves) and recognize that true friendship can weather most any storm. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Picture Corgi Books
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0552545104
• ISBN 13: 9780552545105
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 32