Bone Soup by Cambria Evans

Familiarity with “Stone Soup,” the traditional tale of three hungry soldiers who trick an entire village into making soup for them from a pebble, isn’t absolutely necessary to enjoy this deliciously shivery sendup … but it adds to the fun. The fright-inducing cover sports a greenish moon-shaped face, an eyeball floating in a spoon and the title spelled out in (what else?) bones. Inside, readers meet the rest of moon-faced Finnigin, whose stubby square teeth, squashy body and striped stockings resemble a ladybug gone haywire. Finnigin is looking for a feast. When the witch, mummy, beasts and zombies that he encounters claim they don’t have anything for him, he resorts to trickery. The solution involves bat wings, spider eggs, toenail clippings, frog legs and other ghastly ingredients. The double-page spread of the pot filled to the brim with green goop is guaranteed to elicit groans. The illustrations, which borrow paneled layouts and speech balloons from the comics, are filled with tiny visual jokes. Kids will eat “Bone Soup” up.

Washington Post Book Reviews - “BONE SOUP” - ArcaMax Publishing.