Module 14 - Bean Soup

Summary

A young, nameless boy, begins making bean soup for his family.  As he dances around the kitchen he describes step by step how to make the soup.  With each difficult or dangerous step a small star reminds readers to get parents to help.  Each time he describes a step or an ingredient he does so in a descriptive way.  He calls the foam ontop of the cooking beans clouds, the pot is as round as the moon, and he throws the beans into the pot's lake.  

Bibliographic Citation

Argueta, J. (2009). Bean soup. Toronto, Groundwood Books. 

Personal Impressions

I was excited to see a poem that used so many metaphors and similes.  I was disappointed when I realized that there was no variety in them.  The first few stanzas contained many that related to times of day, but not enough to feel like it was a pattern rather than a lack of creativity.  Also, several of these similes and metaphors are not relate-able to kids, the intended audience.  

I love that there was a star placed next to each step that required adult supervision however, it took quite a bit of searching to find out what the star meant.  I searched through each page a second and third time, looked at the back of the book, made my own predictions, and finally found it at the front of the book hidden on the title page.  

I also love that the Spanish text was written first and the English was second.  Almost every other bilingual book puts English first.  I liked the variety and equality in this book.  

Reviews

John Peters (Booklist, Mar. 15, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 14))

Reinforcing the strong connection between cooking and poetry, Argueta combines the two in a bilingual free-verse recipe for “una sabrosa / sopita de frijoles,” or “yummy / bean soup.” Yockteng depicts a lad rising from his video game to gather ingredients, fling handfuls of beans into the air and into a pot, float through the kitchen on savory waves of scent, then sit down at last with his smiling family. Steps that require adult help or supervision are marked with an asterisk in the Spanish-over-English verses and (usually) with a hovering parent in the illustrations. Though the English is a bit plainer than the Spanish—“El fuego va a bailer / mientras los frijoles / se van ablandando / lentamente” is rendered “The fire will dance / while the beans / slowly get soft”—both versions have an easy flow that positively bubbles with the young chef’s elemental delight. LAyyy qué sabor!” Grades 1-3

Traci Avalos (Children's Literature)

What should you do when you are tired of playing videogames? Cook a meal for your family, of course! This is the story of one young boy who finds something better to do with his time than sitting on the sofa. In poetic form, this book gives readers step-by-step instructions for making a delicious bean soup. From the gathering of the ingredients to the disposal of the byproducts, this book will give readers a productive afternoon activity. The illustrations are charming in their detail and are sure to make readers smile. The verses are fun and give readers a chance to sing to the rhythm of the words. It promotes the idea of helping the family and spending quality time together, as much of the cooking requires an adult to supervise. The only things lacking in the book are specific measurements and cooking times, but those could be easily approximated or looked up. This book is fully bilingual in English and Spanish. 2009, Groundwood Books, $18.95. Ages 4 to 8.

Valerie Nielsen (CM Magazine, February 6, 2009 (Vol. XV, No. 12))

For maximum enjoyment of Sopa de frijoles : Bean Soup, all you need are a little familiarity with (or interest in) Spanish and a small person with whom to share this delightful little bilingual picture poem. Simply written and sprinkled with metaphoric images, the text of Sopa de frijoles : Bean Soup is fun to read in either language. It is indeed a "cooking poem" with no forced rhymes or attempts to make the lines scan to interfere with the poetic flow of the text. "First spread the beans out on the sky of the table. The beans are stars. Throw away any little pebbles. When the beans touch they clink a little song. You can sing too." Writer Jorge Argueta, a native Salvordoran who now lives in San Francisco, CA, is an award- winning author of picture books and poetry for young children. His fusion of poetic language and cooking instructions works beautifully. On each of sixteen pages of the book, the Spanish words appear first with the English translation underneath. Opposite each page of text, there appears a painting by the talented South American illustrator Rafael Yockteng. The artist's depiction of the small cook and the series of actions in which he engages as he concocts the beansoup will appeal to both young listeners and older readers. Observant readers will notice and enjoy Yockteng's inclusion of spills and messes the little chef leaves in his wake for his mama to clean up. A note at the beginning of the book warns readers that all instructions marked with an asterisk require the participation or supervision of an adult. Though children living in many areas of the United States have the opportunity to hear or speak Spanish frequently, such is not the case with Canadian children. For this reason, Sopa de frijoles : Bean Soup is not likely to be as popular a read-aloud for the 4 to 7-year-old group in this country as it would be south of the border. Nonetheless, young children are often fascinated with language and are at an excellent stage in their linguistic development to enjoy and appreciate Argueta and Yockteng's charming little cooking poem. Highly Recommended. Rating: *** ½ /4. Preschool-grade 2. 2009, Groundwood/House of Anansi, 32 pp., hardcover, $18.95. Ages 4 to 7.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 2010)

A boy describes how to make bean soup in a poem that is mindful of the sensory experiences of cooking and the pleasure of sharing the results. Use beans that are “red, white, or black as night,” garlic that is “white as midday,” and an onion that is white or “yellow as the dawn.” Before cutting the onion, say, “Thank you for your lovely taste.” The beans are washed and soaked, the vegetables chopped, and all is put with water and salt into a pot that is “round as the moon / and as deep / as a little lake.” When the soup is finally done, it’s time to share the goodness with family. Jorge Argueta’s bilingual (Spanish/English) poem could be used as a recipe and how-to guide (the need for adult supervision is noted, perhaps unnecessarily), but the savory words are satisfying all on their own. Rafael Yockteng’s illustrations of the boy making the soup with his mother are in beautifully muted tones. CCBC Category: Poetry. 2009, Groundwood / Libros Tigrillo / House of Anansi Press, 32 pages, $18.95. Ages 4-8.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2009 (Vol. 77, No. 5))

This free-verse cooking poem is more than a simple recipe for bean soup. Argueta's lyrical Spanish translated into its counterpart English is filled with visual and aromatic imagery that turns soup-making into art. Describing ingredients such as water "whose caresses give us life," garlic cloves each "in a little white dress" and salt sprinkled "as though it were rain blossoming from your hand," Argueta's metaphorical instructions produce bean-filled water that doesn't just boil, but sings as it turns brown, "the color of mother Earth," making the house smell "like the earth after the first winter rains." Yockteng's parallel earthy-toned paintings oppose each new instructive page, illustrating an animated boy performing each step of the recipe until the inviting scent and warmth of the kitchen beckons a loving family to the table. Starred cues appropriately indicate adult help where needed in this eloquent rendering of a nutritious and delicious meal. 2009, Groundwood, 32p, $18.95. Category: Picture book. Ages 5 to 8. © 2009 Kirkus

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Brenda Dales (Library Media Connection, October 2009)

In Spanish and English, this is a poem about making bean soup. Stanzas are first presented in Spanish, then in English, with full-page illustrations. The young cook describes each ingredient with delicious detail and carefully explains each facet of preparing the recipe. He intersperses the cooking with thinking about his family eating the soup, and how tasty it will be. He also offers a ritual of burying the onion peel, garlic skins, and pebbles from the beans “so Mother Earth/keeps on growing flavors.” Every aspect is mentioned, from thanking the ingredients for their flavors to heating the tortillas and setting the table with bowls, spoons, and flowers—creating anticipation that seems to fill your own surroundings with flavorsome aromas. Colors in the illustrations are rich yet dark, like a hearty dish of bean soup. Help yourself to a generous portion of this fulfilling, nurturing, and sustaining mixture. Recommended. 2009, Groundwood Books, 32pp., $18.95 hc. Ages 5 to 10.

Susan Prior (Resource Links, June 2009 (Vol. 14, No. 5))

This simple, bilingual (Spanish/English) story poem begins with a young boy, tired of his toys and games, deciding that he wants to cook a yummy bean soup. With the help of his mother, he goes through the steps: sorting the beans, boiling them, chopping the garlic and onion and adding the salt. As the delicious smell of the soup fills the house, the boy sets the table and looks forward to his family coming home to eat it. The book is well-laid out, with the Spanish and English text corresponding to the illustration on the opposite page. For those who don’t read Spanish, the words are not difficult to figure out since in most instances, the sentences translate exactly to their English counterparts. Steps in the recipe that require adult supervision are marked with an asterisk *. Although this book is essentially a recipe for bean soup, Argueta makes it interesting through his poetic language. When the boy sorts the beans, for example, the table is the sky and the beans are the stars, and when he stirs the pot, he is “Mother Earth turning around the sun”. The illustrations, with their terra cotta and turquoise palette, suit the story perfectly. After reading this book, I expect that there will be many young children who will want to try their hand at making bean soup! Category: Picture Books. Thematic Links: Cooking; Poetry. Resource Links Rating: G-E (Good/Excellent), Gr. PreSchool - 2. 2009, Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press, 29p. Illus., Hdbk. $18.95. Ages 2 to 8.

Elementary Library Uses

This is a great example of a how-to poem.  I think it would be great for kids to use this book to guide either writing or making a recipe.  It would also be great to have students search for similes and metaphors.