By: Jill Esbaum
Pictures by: Roger Roth
Thanks to her mother, Annabelle is spending a week with Granny helping to juice the tomato crop. Not only does Annabelle have to keep her wild little brother Willie in line during their visit, she has to find a way to tell Granny that she hates tomatoes - before she finds herself eating them all week long! When Willie's mischief surpasses his usual trouble, Annabelle comes to appreciate all those tomatoes and the long, hot work of juicing them.
When I saw Stink Soup on the library return cart, I snatched it up for the pictures. I'm no art critic, but I know what I like when I see it. Watercolor and pencil or ink always catches my eye, and I love Roger Roth's work. The pictures not only capture the humor in the story, they elevate it. I wish Roger Roth could illustrate my life.
I really enjoyed Jill Esbaum's storytelling. Annabelle's narration is dry and amusing. The story took me back to my mom's annual September tomato harvest. She says that she was juicing tomatoes just hours before she gave birth to me. Like Annabelle, I can't stomach fresh tomatoes or their juice. I'm fortunate that Mom has always cooked hers into delicious spaghetti and enchilada sauces that she bottles by the dozens. I was (and still kind of am) a notoriously picky eater, so I related to Annabelle's fretful conflict over eating something she hates or drawing her Granny's attention to it and risking hurt feelings. I always dreaded eating away from home as a kid. Sometimes, it still makes me nervous.
Story: 5 Bookworms
Pictures: 5 Bookworms
Overall Rating:
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