Bibliography: Kimmel, Eric A. CACTUS SOUP. Illustrated by Phil Huling. New York     :Marshall Cavendish Publishing. 2004. Print

ISBN: 9780761458326

During the Mexican Revolution the small town of San Miguel decided to take a stand against a group of hungry soldiers who were heading their way.  The mayor of the town announced “Soldiers are all alike, no matter whose side they fight on: they eat like wolves.”  Fearing that there would not be any food left after the soldiers passed through town, everyone worked together to prepare the town for their arrival.  They worked together to hide their food.  They dressed in dirty clothes and they all tried to look as poor as possible.  Just like the town’s mayor predicted, the soldiers arrived and asked for food from the people of San Miguel.  And just like they prepared, the citizens of San Miguel acted poor and hungry themselves.  Will the cunning Captain fall for the town’s charades or will his charming personality convince the villagers to share their food? 
  
 

Eric Kimmel's new twist on the popular folktale "Stone Soup" is fascinating.  It still maintains the original theme that sharing what you have with others benefits all and brings you joy.  Additionally, the happy ending demonstrates the power of cooperation and just how much can be accomplished with small contributions from everyone.  Cactus Soup is set in Mexico during the time of the Mexican Revolution.  Adding to the universal attraction of this story is the fact that throughout history the quartering of soldiers during war time has been a reality for many citizens. In the beginning of this story Eric Kimmel is able to capture the sentiment of the people who are affected by this intrusive practice. “Not everyone was happy to see them.”  With these words Kimmel sets this story into action.  He quickly engrosses the reader in the Mexican culture by including carefully selected words in Spanish. Additionally, the soup is made with ingredients associated with the Mexican culture, such as chili peppers and beans.  Kimmel cleverly advances the story through the addition of each ingredient, by the time the last ingredient is added the town has dropped it's charades and is prepare to share their food with the soldiers.  The setting and the cultural identity of the story is further anchored by Phil Huling’s use of water colors and ink illustrations which fit the story perfectly.  More importantly, Huling’s choice of story layout strengthens Kimmel’s text.  For instance, some of the pages are designed to extend the story by depicting every action mentioned in the text, as seen in the page which depicts the villager’s actions to hide the town’s supply of food.  In contrast, other pages are designed to highlight the principal action of the text, as seen in the page which depicts only two children picking a lone cactus thorn from a cactus plant.  The white background of this illustration brings additional scrutiny to the importance of the children’s action. 

Activities:

Character lesson on sharing – This book is a good one to use when you want to talk with your class about the subject of sharing and how it can sometimes be difficult.

Readers Theater - Read the book once for pleasure, and then read it again, instructing students to notice how the text of the book is organized.  As a whole class or in small groups ask the student to write a play for the story.  The student can then preform the play for other classes.

Recommended Books by Eric Kimmel:    

The Three Little Tamales
Little Red Hot
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

Reviews:

Kimmel, though acknowledging that the tale of “Stone Soup” appears in many cultures, offers no documentation for this Mexican version. Still, the fast-moving narrative is rich in Spanish vocabulary and generous with opportunities for the audience to participate in the telling. Huling’s bright watercolors create a vibrant setting bursting with yellows, oranges, greens, and browns that reflect the countryside and the hot tempo of the final fiesta. The curved sombreros, the townspeople’s rounded figures, and the circular cooking pot suggest a warm community that complements the soldiers, who are modeled after Picasso’s whimsical, lanky Don Quixote. Appended with a glossary of Spanish words. B.C. (Excerpt from Horn Book, 2005)

Huling's elongated watercolor cartoons provide just the right playful, brown-hued visual temperament for the all-round festive deception… a wonderful example of the international appeal–and ready adaptation–of timeless tales of human nature.–John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TX (Excerpt from School Library Journal, 2009)