Granny Torrelli Makes Soup

Starred review from June 16, 2003
A warm kitchen filled with inviting aromas sets the scene for this heartfelt novel celebrating friendship and family ties. Here 12-year-old Rosie and her Italian grandmother whip up extraordinary dishes and exchange confidences. As the novel opens, Rosie broods on a fight she has had with her best friend, Bailey, who is going blind, and it soon becomes apparent that Granny Torrelli's talents aren't limited to cooking. She detects that her granddaughter is bothered by something and tells Rosie a few stories from her own childhood that resonate with Rosie's situation as the two prepare a delicious soup. Rosie then confides memories of Bailey, and the layering of experiences builds in much the same way as Creech's Fishing in the Air. Though Rosie and Granny may be generations apart, their lives have been shaped by similar situations. By the second section, "Pasta Party," Rosie and Bailey are on better terms. Creech (Walk Two Moons) once again shows her ability to crystallize characters and express their emotions through very few, carefully chosen words. Her subtle approach only enhances the novel's cumulative impact. Like comfort food, conversations between Granny and Rosie have a soothing effect, reminding readers that conflicts pass and there will always be moments when friends and family gather, peace of mind returns and, in Granny Torrelli's words, "Tutto va bene"—all is well. Ages 8-12.

December 1, 2003
Gr 4-7-Sharon Creech's novel (HarperCollins, 2003) provides a humorous and endearing narrative about intergenerational relationships. Twelve-year-old Rosie and her grandmother, Granny Torrelli, begin to make "zuppa" as the story unfolds. The culinary setting becomes the backdrop for conversations about the ups and downs of adolescence, and the growing pains associated with the change in friendships over the years. The audio rendition brings a palpable energy to the text. Donna Murphy excels with her vocal characterizations and pacing, providing a vivacious and empathetic reading for all the characters and their moods-the earthy, honest Rosie, animated Granny Torrelli, composed Bailey, and Rosie's bouncy, upbeat nemesis, Janine. Diction is clear throughout. This is especially important as Italian phrases and words are sprinkled throughout. Teachers and librarians who are focusing on children with disabilities can use this as an insightful tool, as Bailey's blindness is faced head-on. The culinary experience can be shared by visiting Sharon Creech's homepage (http: //www.sharon creech.co.uk/torelli_recipes.asp) for Italian cooking recipes.-Tina Hudak, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Riverdale, MD

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 1, 2003
Gr. 4-6. This story of a friendship, told around food and delivered in small, digestible bites, is a tasty treat. As 12-year-old Rosie makes " zuppa" with her grandmother, she struggles with her feelings about her best friend, Bailey. Moving adroitly from the past to the present, Rosie tells about her lifelong friendship with Bailey, and how, when it became clear that he was blind, she did everything in her power to help him--sometimes suffocating him with her good intentions. As she makes the soup, she talks to Granny, who has her own story, about a dear friend from the old country, Pardo, which echoes Rosie and Bailey's relationship. Another story unfolds as Rosie, Bailey, and Granny make pasta: a new girl, moves into the neighborhood, and suddenly Rosie has a rival for Bailey's affection. Not surprisingly, something similar happened to Granny and Pardo. This gets high marks for its unique voice (make that voices) and for the way the subtleties that are woven into the story. Each character adds flavor, but the story's strength comes mostly from Rosie--bossy, loving, and willing to see both the error of her ways and the possibilities for the future. Chris Raschka contributes a colorful jacket painting and a few inside sketches to brighten things up even more.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)

September 8, 2003
Via Murphy's colorful, warm reading of Creech's (Walk Two Moons) brief novel, listeners soon discover that soup, pasta and good old-fashioned conversation prove great elixirs. Drama bubbles up when 12-year-old Rosie has a spat with her best friend and neighbor, Bailey. Through a series of flashbacks and real-time kitchen talks with her Granny Torrelli while they cook, Rosie begins to unravel her emotions and perhaps better understand her intensely protective (and proprietary) feelings for Bailey, who has recently gone blind. In the passages of text that jump back in Rosie's childhood, Murphy follows, sounding younger. Granny Torrelli has a somewhat generic "foreign grandmother" accent that sometimes sounds Russian or Eastern European as much as Italian, but listeners will easily forgive this quibble in light of the entertaining, full-bodied characters here. Ages 8-up.

January 10, 2005
In a starred review, PW
said, "A warm kitchen filled with inviting aromas sets the scene for this heartfelt novel celebrating friendship and family ties." Ages 8-12.

January 1, 2004
Rosie, a prickly twelve-year-old, is self-absorbed and socially awkward. What she needs is a pinch of humility and a dash of consideration when interacting with othersqualities her granny Torrelli clearly believes will only develop when Rosie receives a heaping measure of love. Granny Torrelli gives Rosie that love, slyly delivered in the guise of making a meal. By the end, readers will proclaim: " "Tutto va bene" "--all is well.

(Copyright 2004 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from August 1, 2003
Gr 4-7-Tastes and smells emerge along with wisdom and insight as a grandmother and grandchild reveal experiences past and present in the warmth of the kitchen. Rosie and Bailey are neighbors, born only a week apart. They are like sister and brother, only better "because I chose him and he chose me." She has always been his helper as he was born visually impaired. But now they have had a falling out. As Rosie tells Granny, Bailey is acting spiteful, all because she tried to be just like him. To be just like Bailey-her buddy, her pal-Rosie secretly learned to read Braille and unknowingly took away the special thing only he could do. When the two of them come together with Granny Torrelli in the kitchen and make cavatelli, the rift between them heals. Stories and wisdom continue as sauce and meatballs are made, helping to clarify feelings. As family and friends raise a glass of water to toast the cooks, Rosie realizes that her world is indeed bigger as is Bailey's; that tutto va bene-all is well! Twelve-year-old Rosie's narration seamlessly integrates Granny Torrelli's stories and fleeting conversations in short chapters. Her authentic voice gradually reveals what has happened and the accompanying emotions ranging from anger and angst to happiness and contentment. The integration of the Italian kitchen and Granny's family stories from the old country add flavor just like the ingredients in her recipes. This is a meal that should not be missed.-Maria B. Salvadore, formerly at District of Columbia Public Library

Copyright 2003 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.