Kidsmomo

Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and as you proably know by now, I loooooove food — so, of course, I start drooling at the mere thought of Thanksgiving dinner. But this year, I won’t be celebrating as usual with my full extended family because my parents and I will be traveling abroad.

To make up for my loss (no stuffing! no corn pudding! no homemade desserts!), I’m turning to a bountiful meal in one of my favorite books instead: Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech.

The book is about 12-year-old Rosie and her best friend — a boy! — Bailey. Rosie and Bailey have grown up together, living on the same street their whole lives, and they’ve always been inseparable. But as you can imagine, it’s not always easy feeling so connected to someone else, and Rosie and Bailey have their share of problems. Enter Granny Torrelli, here to save the day!

In Part 1 of Granny Torrelli Makes Soup, Rosie and Granny Torrelli make soup (what a surprise!) while Rosie describes a fight between her and Bailey. In Part 2 of Granny Torrelli Makes Soup, there’s actually no soup. Instead, Rosie and Granny Torrelli AND Bailey make pasta, ribs, meatballs, and sauce, and it’s Granny Torrelli’s turn to tell her story. Of course, the reason for Granny’s story is really to help Rosie and Bailey… Grandparents are sly like that, don’t you think? It’s only to be expected. BUT the parallels between Granny’s story and Rosie and Bailey’s story might surprise you. The end of the book definitely surprised me, and that’s one reason I love it so much. Plus, you know, all the food. [insert image of me, mentally chomping on delicious pasta — nom nom nom…]

Anyway, even if you’ll be sitting down to the traditional turkey this Thanksgiving, it’s still worth checking out Granny Torrelli Makes Soup. You can get started with this excerpt from the beginning of the book!

— Karen