Pajama Press

Can Kioni save the school vegetable garden from her herd of hungry goats?

In a garden outside a Kenyan schoolhouse, children are working together to harvest the vegetables they have grown and make them into a soup for everyone to share. But Kioni is having trouble: her herd of mischievous goats followed her to school today and they are trying to eat all the vegetables. The ensuing chaos caused by the goats is cleverly resolved by the children, making their vegetable soup very tasty while saving Kioni’s four-legged intruders at the same time.

Using rollicking verse with echoes of “Mary had a Little Lamb,” Alma Fullerton tells a lively story about communal projects and finding creative solutions that help everyone contribute. This tale for young readers is graced with Alma’s stunning primitive paper sculpture art—the first book she has chosen to illustrate herself.

Awards and Honours:
CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens Starred Selection

Reviews:
“The full-color, mixed-media collages steal the show…A great choice for group sharing or for units on communities.”—School Library Journal

“The recipe for Fullerton’s second picture book, after A Good Trade, involves a bit of ‘Stone Soup,’ a dash of ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb,’ and a rural Kenyan setting.”—Publishers Weekly

“For reading aloud or alone, a nourishing choice.”—Kirkus Reviews

“The simple sentences have a conversational tone and the superb pacing makes for a lively read aloud…[The] paper-sculpture illustrations are a visual feast.”—Quill & Quire

“The first line of this story draws readers into a day-in-the-life of Kenyan school community…”—International Reading Association

“Community Soup is a short fun tale that welcomes everyone…Alma Fullerton uses bright colors and texture in excitingly visual collages throughout the book. Each page comes alive and pops right off the page! Community Soup is wonderful for young readers looking to explore their culinary side with a little help from Kioni and her friends!”—New York Botanical Gardens, “Children’s Books Explore the Power of Community”

“…Fullerton’s incredible 3D collage illustrations in mixed media fairly leap off the page and cleverly complement the text.”—CM Magazine

“…the perfect ingredients to create an engaging and charming picture book.”—Canadian Children’s Book News

“The three-dimensional, mixed media illustrations practically jump off the page, and had my girls trying to touch and feel them. After reading Community Soup, my daughters had fun making their own felt- vegetable soup combinations.”—Kids Read the World