Stone Soup

Written by Marcia Brown

Narrated by Peter Fernandez

The wars have ended and three soldiers find themselves walking in a strange country. The also find themselves quite hungry. When the peasants of the village they have entered refuse to share their food, the soldiers decide to outwit them with a secret recipe for soup made of stones. The soup turns into a feast fit for a king. The story was adapted from an old French tale.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Live Oak Media
• Release date: Jan 1, 1987
• ISBN: 9781430115465

Marcia Brown

I Marcia Brown was born and raised in Washington County Indiana. I am a certified adult peer support specialist to help recovery addicts and I also have a bachelor’s degree from International School of Ministry. I have two children, daughter and a son living and have a lot of trauma from me being in addiction. I lived with addiction for 32 years. I seek the Lord with all my heart and the word of God has set me free from addiction. When God called me out of darkness to light I now help others who are currently suffering from addiction as I have. God has revealed my purpose in life for him and also it keeps me grounded in my recovery and when I share my strength and hope with other recovering addicts are being successful with what I share.

Reviews for Stone Soup

[Lanre Dahunsi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

i liked how the soiders thought smart and get the things the villagers said they didn't

[Sarah Siddique · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My daughter (4yrs) really loved the book and said it was so interesting. This is one we come back to often!

[Chidera Okolie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A quick, great book on why we need everyone’s supply

[larisaawhite · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The classic tale of Stone Soup, set in early, war-time France.

[sweetiegherkin · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Three soldiers come into a small village seeking food and shelter, but everyone says there is no food or place for them to stay. The soldiers say they will make "stone soup" out in the town square instead, intriguing the villagers with this mysterious dish. As they lament the lack of carrot, meat, barley, etc. in the soup, the villagers suddenly recall having a small amount of said ingredient to add to the pot. By the end of the evening, a large feast is shared by villagers and soldiers alike!Once again, I find myself having to say how I'm not really a huge fan of traditional fairy tales/fables. I can't exactly place my finger on why, but this story did little for me. Others have commented on how it's ultimately a story about sharing, although it seems to be more one of trickery, and about the soldiers' resilience (although that could be argued that it's the mighty strong-arming the weak, as usual). Whatever it is, it's not a story that particularly resonates with me. My 6-year-old niece also walked away from this title halfway through reading it, which is highly unusual for her.The award-winning illustrations are in a style I typically like -- black and white drawings with splashes of one color only (in this case red). The red does add liveliness to the pictures, but something about the illustrations feels very old and dated (beyond just the historic setting). Overall, I wasn't particularly impressed with this book, even though I know it is generally considered a classic of children's literature. It just wasn't my cup of tea.

[jennysbookbag.com · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I first heard this story on an episode of Little House on the Prairie, but until today I had never read the book. Cute story and a good lesson.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is indeed one of the better versions of the tale. It is unusual in that it is long, and in that it is three soldiers teaching an entire town a lesson in cooperation.

I do have to admit that I'm surprised the villagers did not catch on to the trick - and if a child asks you why they were stupid, maybe you want to 'spin' the answer. Maybe you could answer that, on a subconscious level, they didn't want to admit that they were duped, because part of each of them realized that there would, in the end, be a win-win situation for everyone.

I too found the illustrations charming and apt, and will look for more by Marcia Brown.

If you're a teacher and have not used this motif for a class play, I strongly recommend you do so. Kids love the concept, it's easy to act out, and if lines are forgotten they can be ad-libbed. And of course the themes make for great discussions.

[childrenslitpdx · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Three soldiers headed towards a town can only think of a good meal and a warm bed to sleep. The villagers, not wanting to share their food supply, cleverly hide it and offer the soldiers no place to sleep when they come by. Not to be discouraged, the soldiers tell the villagers they will make Stone Soup, and it will be enough to feed everyone. All they need are three stones - but it would taste much better with a few carrots… some cabbage… and so on…

[gmorgan14 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Genre: FolkloreThis story focuses on three soldiers that are tired and hungry and need a place to stay as they march on down a long road and then how they trick some village people in making soup out of food they would not offer freely when the soldiers asked for it. Many folktales have tricks and clever characters that get what they need or want by being smart. The three soldiers make the people think they make soup from stones but really the soldiers were just getting the village people to add real food to the soup as they went along making it. The book only uses one color, orange and the rest is gray and black and white. It looks a lot like wood cuts and water colors.

[dorthys-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A poor man enters a peasant village and would like something to eat. The peasants are very poor and cannot give him anything. He ingeniously comes up with a way to share what they have, and they all work together on this. This is a good read that teaches children that if we work together, we can always come up with a solution.

[bspelman-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An old tale that has been enjoyed by many generations and is still enjoyed today. Three hungry soldiers come to a town where none will share food with them because of a poor harvest. They come up with a plan to trick them all by saying they will make stone soup. In the process of making the recipe, the soldiers ask for ingredients and the peasants flee to go get them. In the end, all shared a feast…made from a stone.

[mhilary-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A great tale about what can be accomplished if people work together. In this case a grand meal. Wonderful book to share in a classroom to begin conversations about great things people built together.

[mchapp1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed Marcia Brown’s “Stone Soup” because there was a strong presence of clear, descriptive language, suspenseful plot, and illustrations that enhance the story. Evidence of Brown’s usage of clear, descriptive language is found when she describes how the townspeople hid their food from the soldiers. Brown describes how they “pushed sacks of barley under the hay in the lofts, lowered buckets of milk down the wells, and spread old quilts over the carrot bins”. This helps the reader understand the great lengths the people went to in order to hide the food from the soldiers; the descriptions also help the reader visualize the hiding spots. Throughout the story Brown creates a sense of suspense for the reader. The reader is left wondering if the soldiers will find out that the people are lying about the food, and if the people will realize that the soldiers have tricked them. The illustrations in the story greatly enhance the story because it helps the reader visualize what France might have looked like during this time period, it also helps struggling readers follow the plot with ease. The overall meaning of the story is that much can be accomplished when everyone is willing to contribute. The only reason that the soldiers were successful in making the stone soup is because the peasants added the ingredients that they had into the mix. When people work together everyone can benefit. The soldiers obtained food and a place to sleep, and the peasants will never go hungry because they have learned “how to make soup from stones”.

[sparrowtlw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Stone Soup is a folklore, about corporation and community. The artwork is cheery and colored in black brown and orange. Though it lacks rhyme, it is still whimsical. It is about three soldiers return home from war, they are tired and hungry, and they come a pond a village. The villagers were not happy to have the soldiers come into their town; afraid the soldiers would take all their food, therefore they hid their food. Once the solders realized that, the villagers were unwilling to help them out, they devised a plan that would include the villagers, and they decided to make stone soup. Soon the villagers started to work together to make the stone soup. This story shows that we do not always have to be weary of strangers and if we work together as a community, we can accomplish many great feats.Person reflection:The first time I heard this story, I was work as a special education assistant, and the teacher was reading to the class as part of her lesson plan. I love watching the student’s expressions as each villager place a new item in to the pot. One little girl even licked her lips in anticipation. I look forward to reading to my class.Extension ideas:1. One thing that can be done is have each student bring a food item to make a cold soup (trail mix).2. Have them act out the story as we made the cold soup.3. Have them tell me a time that they helped someone or when someone helped them.

[sarahetuemmler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my all time favorite books. It tells the story of some hungry soldiers just coming back the war. They search high and low in the villages and ask the peasants for food. None of the peasants have enough food to share so the soldiers decided to cook a giant pot of "stone soup." They add all different kinds of ingredients and each of the peasants contributes something little to the soup. Soon they have a giant, delicious pot of soup to share with the whole village. Everyone is fed and this book shows a lesson of how important community is. If everyone contributes something, the whole community as a whole can benefit. I really enjoyed this book and it is a simple read that has a unique story.

[emedwards-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this story, three hungry soldiers come to a village of peasants to look for food and a place to sleep. When the town hears they are coming they all hide their food and get their excuses ready. The soldiers catch on to what is happening and tell them all they will just have to make stone soup. The peasants were intrigued to learn what stone soup was so they helped them get it started. Once the pot of water with the stones had begun to boil the soldiers started saying that the soup would be fit for a king if it had a few things added such as: salt and pepper, cabbage, carrots, barley, milk, meat, and potatoes.Once it was complete they all dined together and the people let the soldiers have very nice beds to sleep in just because they shared their secret of "stone" soup. I really thought this brought the people together that had many things individually but were very hungry and poor. It showed them that rather working together could be more beneficial to everyone. This book could be used to teach life lessons about sharing and working together.

[rpazmino3calligan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a cute book about three soldiers who are looking for food and shelter among a peasant village. The peasants fear strangers and hide their food. But the soldiers outsmart everyone and come up with the idea to make stone soup in a huge pot. The peasants contribute different things to the soup, making it delicious. Everyone works together to make the soup a success, and the peasants come to like the soldiers.

[gaiagonzales · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved this story for a two reasons. First, I loved that the illustrations were simple yet interesting. I also admired the fact that illustrations and the text fit together perfectly. For example, it was clear that the peasants were excited and happy that the soldiers were making a “magic” soup out of stones. Their facial expressions and body posture were well depicted through the illustrations. Second, I loved the plot. The plot was definitely humorous and engaging. I especially loved the part where the peasants were happy to give the soldiers ingredients for the soup, such as carrots or beef, even though they all just gave the soldiers excuses as to why they cannot give them any food. It was very funny to see the peasants being tricked by the soldiers throughout the book. After reading this book, I found that the big idea is to always help your neighbors when they need it.

[imamarie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Stone Soup by Marcia Brown is A Caldecott honor book. This story is also considered by many as "traditional" story as it has been told in many forms for many years. It is the story of a hungry soldier who comes to a small poor town and is told there is no food. The soldier states he can make a soup with just one stone. Soon the townspeople are each providi9ng one item from their homes in order to make the soup tastier. Eventually the people have a wonderful flavorful soup made of many ingredients. The people are surprised the soldier made a soup out of one stone. The idea of the story is "if we all pull together we can accomplish anything even with "no food". It is a wonderful way to show children that if everyone chips in just a little and gives what they can, much can be accomplished. The pictures are not flashy or fancy. It is the text of the words themselves that capture the imagination. Ways to extend this story would be to create a friendship soup. First the children could discuss what types of vegetables could be provided to create the soup. The parents could be encouraged to each sign up and bring one ingredient for the children to add to the soup. As the teacher, I provided the cooked hamburger and spaghetti sauce to the roaster pot while the students added the canned veggies. It was a tasty success. This was the perfect opportunity to invite the parents to come and share the soup with the students and for the students to share a few songs with the parents. The children completed a journal page about the event and a wall chart showing what they put into the pot. No child was left out as I made sure to have extra cans of veggies available.

[root.katy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great version of a classic tale of generosity and cooperation.

[vbarbe1-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There are a few reasons that I like this book. My first reason for liking the book is because I feel that the illustrations are appropriate to the mood of the story. In the beginning of the story when everyone was trying to hide their food from the soldiers, the illustrations depicts the people in the town with such serious and pitiful expressions as they explain to the soldiers why they couldn't give them anything to eat. As the story goes on and the stone soup is being made the atmosphere begins to change and so does the expressions on the faces of the characters in the story. They begin to smile, laugh, and dance as they start to let down their guard and enjoy the comments from the soldiers. I also liked the story because of the plot. The townspeople never realized that they were being tricked out of the food that they had just said they couldn't spare or they didn't have. For instance when Paul and Francoise were asked by the soldiers if they could spare any food, they replied it’s been a poor harvest but yet when the stone soup started to be made and carrots were mentioned, Francoise ran off and brought back her apron full of carrots. The big idea of this story is when everyone chips in a little it can go along way.

[bphill5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book, and this traditional tale! One reason I love it is because of the illustrations by Marcia Brown. Red is a color associated with hunger and food, and by using red as the only color in the book (besides black, grey, and white tones), it emphasizes the fact that the story is about food, and that the soldiers are hungry and the villagers are holding out on them. I also like this book because of all of the dialogue. By giving names and speech to so many villagers as well as to the solder, Marcia makes the fact that the villagers are holding out food even more personal, and makes it easier to sympathize with the soldiers. The message of this story is to not lie, and to help thy fellow neighbor.

[ss116531 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Summary:Three tired and hungry soldiers travel through a village and ask for food and a place to rest. When they are turned down, they decide to teach the villagers a lesson and make stone soup. Even though all of the people denied having food, they were still able to find the ingredients for a wonderful soup. In the end, all of the villagers contribute to the meal and the soldiers were able to rest and then travel down the road.Personal Reaction:I think this is a great story to tell at any age, especially if the students are having a hard time getting along or sharing. It is a great story that teaches the importance of community and helping others. Extension Ideas:1. Have students come up with a "recipe" for a good community. What are the ingredients and what do you do to make it?2. Make a classroom stone soup. As you add each ingredient,have students share one lesson they learned from the book.

[adriennewood · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've heard different versions of this book. The witty nature of the soldiers and the gullible nature of the villagers makes for a quick laugh, but involves a little bit of stereotyping (the dimwitted, small town folk versus the well-traveled soldiers).

[whisper1_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As three tired and hungry soldiers approach a village, the kindly request hospitality of something to eat and a place to rest.Wary of soldiers, hide their food and initially do not provide a resting place.Without fear and intimidation, the three men turn the table and say they will help to feed the peasants by making a large pot of stone soup.Boiling water and rocks, they wonder if perhaps their might be a carrot or two, a small piece of meet and other items.Opening their pantries and hearts, the town folk share. Like an image of the loaves and fishes, the soup is multiplied by the items donated and soon the table is filled with happy strangers who become friends.There is sharing, dancing and laughter. All are fed and all are happy.The author wrote both the text and illustrations. The illustrations are lovely in shades of white, black and red, pink and grey.I liked this tale and the lovely images.

[abigailadams26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although there seem to be any number of picture-books involving soup made with stones - Jon J. Muth's recent Stone Soup, for instance - this retelling of the traditional French variant of the tale is the one I grew up with, and it holds a special place in my heart! The story of three hungry soldiers, who, returning home from "the wars," find themselves in a village determined not to feed them, it is part trickster tale, part fable. Young readers will enjoy following the soldiers' ingenious method of procuring dinner, while also learning that resources go further, and produce a deeper sense of enjoyment, when they are shared.Originally published in 1947, Stone Soup was was chosen as a Caldecott Honor Book, and it's not difficult to see why! Bold illustrations, colored in black and orange, perfectly capture the droll humor of the story. These soldiers know what they're about, and - looking at Marcia Brown's artwork - so does the reader. Highly recommended, to young folklore lovers, and to those who appreciate a somewhat vintage illustration style!

[gundulabaehre · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As someone who generally likes lushly coloured illustrations, I did not really expect to enjoy the illustrations of this version of the popular Stone Soup folktale. However, the illustrations are really quite wonderful (attention to detail, captured movement, wonderful expressions), and the simple combination of white, black, grey and orange shades works surprisingly well. The illustrations notwithstanding, I am also very pleasantly surprised by the story itself. Marcia Brown's version of the tale clearly shows that the peasants do not simply fear strangers in general, they specifically fear strangers who are soldiers. When one then realises that historically, soldiers not only had the reputation of demanding and taking any type of supplies they might need/want without generally much thought of the needs and requirements of civilians, but that soldiers also often had both official and unofficial written guarantees permitting them to take any available and desired provisions from the towns, villages and cities through which they were passing (and without compensation), it is somewhat understandable that the villagers are at first rather suspicious of the soldiers and keep their food stores hidden. They might not want to share, and might even be a bit xenophobic, but first and foremost, the villagers are afraid of losing most, if not all of their stored foodstuff to the soldiers (and they could obviously not know in advance that the soldiers are, in fact, friendly).In the end, the three soldiers manage to get the food they require neither by resorting to violence and threats nor do they simply search for the hidden provisions and take what they want, but by being able to entice the village to share what they have. The communal feast of stone soup not only celebrates sharing, it also celebrates community, friendship and the fact that one can achieve more by using one's wits. And above all, the soldiers are not only able to stay their hunger, the village is left with a much more positive impression regarding not only strangers, but soldiers in particular.On a textual level the unhurried, almost caressing pace and tone of the narrative mirrors the slow, deliberate cooking process of the soup, creating an atmosphere of calm, but also one of joyous, curious anticipation. And the fact that all of the villagers have personal names (the villagers, not the three soldiers), that they are not simply anonymous entities, both personalises the narrative and allows for speculation and possible expansion. Thus, if I were reading this story aloud to a child (or a group of children), I might engage my audience by asking who of the villagers thinks that their grain needs to be hidden (Vincent and Marie), and why they might believe this. All in all, a very engaging (and at times thought-provoking) picture book, Marcia Brown's Stone Soup has stood the test of time and is still to be highly recommended.

[krguarisco · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very cute book. Three French soldiers are coming home from war, they are all hungry and tired. When they stop off in a village, they are told that there is no where to sleep and nothing to eat. So the three soldiers decide to make stone soup. The villagers all become blinded by their curiosity that they end up giving the soldiers food to put in the stone soup. I thought this was a very cute book. I love old fables like this one.

[dawnholt-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Through wonderful literation and well placed illustrations; Marcia Brown has taken the old fable, "Stone Soup" and turned into a feast for all to enjoy! The story begins with three very hungry soldiers marching home from war. As the weary, war-torn villagers see them approaching, they make a concerted effort to conceal all of their food by hiding it in the most unlikely places. However, the very resourceful soldiers do not let a few greedy townies keep them from a much deserved meal that is "fit for a king". The cunning soldiers realize that there is more than one way to skin a cat. They start by putting stones into a large pot of water. They tell the town’s people they will be happy to share with them but it would be so much nicer if they had this ingredient or that. The villagers become so involved with the making of the soup that by the time all is said and done, they have made a meal that is “fitting for a king”. What a very clever way of getting stiff-necked people to cooperate! I find it interesting that such subdued colors can hold the interest of children. In many picture books, like "The Hungry Caterpillar"" bright colors have kept young students at edge of their seats for the entire book. Marcia Brown has used well placed illustrations to show commotion and the emotions of the villagers that holds the reader’s attention. Well placed angulation and lines are evenly spaced across an entire page allowing the reader to feel like they are participating in putting this feast together! There are so many activities that can be added to this story. I would begin by taking advantage of the wonderful illustrations that she has made. The children can count the different ingredients as they come out of their hiding places. For instance she talks about someone getting three heads of cabbage but they actually brought out nine heads. That instantly becomes a math problem of nine minus three. For Language arts we can identify what letter each ingredient begins with. We can also have a social studies lesson by identifying which war has happened and identify on a map what part of the world that it has taken place in. The most obvious lesson would be talking about our behavior: honesty, friendship, cooperation. I believe there are a plethora of lesson plans possible with this one story. What a feast indeed!

[tristinholt · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary of book:In Stone Soup, Marcia Brown did a tremendous job at creating an effective plot that captivates everyone’s attention. The story begins with three soldiers traveling together with starving stomachs and weary bodies. As they approach a village, the peasants hid their food under their beds, in the cellars, and down in the wells. The three soldiers quickly outfox the people by cooking the famous stone soup fit for the king himself; soon the peasants began adding meat and vegetables as the night went on. In the end, the peasants are fooled by the witty soldiers who merrily go on their way.Personal reaction to the book:In my personal experience, I have two different reactions to record. When I was little, I thought the world of the three soldiers. I believed them to be heroes who brought the town together to share the wonderful stone soup. However, now that I have grown older, I see the book differently. As I continue to observe the illustrations and their ties with the book, I see that Marie’s apron is indeed filled with more than three cabbages. I view Stone Soup as three clever soldiers who swindle the peasants and quickly leave the next day. The priest, baker, mayor, and all of the other villagers have simply been the victims of a con that seems to be wittily planned.Extension ideas:1.For one extension, a teacher could have the students discuss how they would be compassionate to others. Students could give examples on how to be nice to brothers and sisters or classmates. The teacher could create a “Fishbowl”: a circle where one person with the talking stick can share their ideas one at a time.2.A teacher could also bring a Crockpot to school and create a “Stone Soup” in class. To complete this, one can involve the students by assigning different vegetables to each student. For example: John and Suzie will be asked to bring a “C” vegetable, such as carrots or celery; Annie and Brandy will be asked to bring a “P” vegetable like peas or potatoes; and Thomas and Carson will be asked to bring a “S” vegetable similar to squash or string beans.3.An imperative topic to discuss with children is the amount of food that different cultures eat. As Americans, the serving sizes are extremely large and most of the times unhealthy. The teacher can show the students what an acceptable portion size is and why it is important to not eat too much.