Granny Torrelli Makes Soup

by Sharon Creech

book data

1,036 ratings, 3.77 average rating, 129 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		27%
4		34%
3		27%
2		8%
1		2%

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published

August 2003 by Bt Bound (first published 2003)

details

Library Binding

isbn

1417669284 (isbn13: 9781417669288)

description

In this endearing story by Newberry Medal-winner Sharon Creech, a wise old Italian granny skillfully imparts life advice (and cooking lessons) to her …more

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Apr 07, 2008

Marie sweeney rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

bookshelves: childrens

Read in April, 2008

could i put a bazillion kids books on here? yes. do I? no.
you're welcome.
But Sharon Creech is worth pointing out.
Her books are diverse in style and kick ass in story but mostly I love that she respects kids enough to speak in ways that are less than orthodox for kids books.
I LOVE that she writes in away that teachers would be mortified to see their kids write.
I LOVE that while teachers are beating their kids over the head with the lame-ass "First, Then, Next, F...more

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Jan 27, 2010

Terryann rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

bookshelves: in2books, kids

Read in January, 2010

Questions and disucssion for my penpal:

Did you like Granny Torrelli Makes Soup? I liked it a lot. I especially liked the way that Rosie describes her feelings. Sometimes she is a tiger girl and sometimes an ice queen or sly fox. Some of my feelings are fierce like a bear, or sneaky like a snake or hard like stone. I also liked the way that Granny Torrelli imagines her family having a big pasta party in the sky. I think that is a nice way of thinking about your family members after th...more

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Oct 01, 2009

Janessa rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

Read in September, 2005

Granny Torrelli is the story of friendship between twelve year old Rosie and the boy next door, Bailey. They have grown up alongside each other, and have shared everything together. Which is why Rosie doesn’t understand why Bailey gets angry at her for learning how to read his books — written in Braille because Bailey is blind. Added to the misunderstanding is the tension that arises when a new girl moves in across the street. A ‘too-friendly’ new girl who ’smiles all over the pla...more Granny Torrelli is the story of friendship between twelve year old Rosie and the boy next door, Bailey. They have grown up alongside each other, and have shared everything together. Which is why Rosie doesn’t understand why Bailey gets angry at her for learning how to read his books — written in Braille because Bailey is blind. Added to the misunderstanding is the tension that arises when a new girl moves in across the street. A ‘too-friendly’ new girl who ’smiles all over the place’. A new girl who Bailey seems to like. Maybe even more than Rosie.

The problems are simple, but the emotions are real, which makes the problems important both to Rosie and to the reader. The voices of the children are perfectly pitched, their thoughts, words, and feelings accurately tuned to who they are and what they are experiencing at the age they are experiencing it.

But what makes this book so precious to me is the figure of Granny Torrelli, arriving in the midst of these boiling tempers and simmering problems. Rosie introduces her like this: ”Granny Torrelli comes over, says she’s in charge of me tonight. She wants soup. Zuppa! she calls it. She says it like this: ZOO-pah!”

With the matter-of-fact bustle of a seasoned cook, Granny calls Rosie and Bailey to help her in the kitchen. They roll fresh pasta; mash ground beef, eggs, and onions into meatballs; stir spices into red sauce, and in the process of cooking, and listening to Granny’s stories about her childhood friend, Pardo, Rosie and Bailey learn to see beyond their hurt feelings and misunderstandings. Granny’s stories create the circular shape that Creech often uses in her writing — the cycle that moves beginnings to endings, to brand new beginnings. The beginning of her friendship with Pardo is an echo of Bailey and Rosie’s friendship. It’s ending creates a new beginning for them. The entrance of the new neighboor is another beginning that promises new returns.

The story is a also a testament to the magic of the kitchen: of the nourishment that comes both from and through cooking, and also of the sense of comfort and connectedness that come from food. In a recent article in The Horn Book Magazine, author Linda Sue Park discusses the importance of food in the books we read and write. “Food and love are the earliest things we learn,” she says, “with the deepest roots and reverberations. Maurice Sendak knew this when he wrote in Where the Wild Things Are that Max wanted to be “where someone loved him best of all” — and that love was epitomized by a supper that was still hot” (”Still Hot: Great Food Moments in Children’s Literature,” The Horn Book Magazine, May/July 2009).

Creech knew it, too, when Rosie carries the steaming bowl of cavatelli, “covered with the beautiful red sauce, to the table, and Granny Torelli brings the bowl of meatballs and spareribs, and Carmelita brings the extra sauce, and Bailey has the cheese, and Pop brings the salad, and Mom pours water in everyone’s glass.” The new neighbors are invited to the feast, and Rosie imagines “Granny Torrelli’s mama and papa and sisters and brothers and Pardo and my grandpa Torrelli, all up in heaven having their own pasta party.”

“My world,” Rosie says, “seems a little bigger.” She is seeing those cycles that swell and repeat and never end, inspired by the nourishment that comes from the combination of friendship, love and food.

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Nov 01, 2009

(NS) Brea M rated it:

(review of isbn 0061122122)

bookshelves: realistic-fiction

In the book, Granny Torrelli Makes Soup, Sharon Creech offers a story of strong characters and meaningful relationships through good old fashion cooking. Rosie is a high spirited 12 year old with a best friend Bailey. The two grew up next to each other and did everything the same until it was time to go to school. That’s when Rosie realized Bailey was different, he was blind. Rosie’s attempt to help Bailey anyway possible, at times gets a bit overwhelming to him. When Rosie gets upset w...more In the book, Granny Torrelli Makes Soup, Sharon Creech offers a story of strong characters and meaningful relationships through good old fashion cooking. Rosie is a high spirited 12 year old with a best friend Bailey. The two grew up next to each other and did everything the same until it was time to go to school. That’s when Rosie realized Bailey was different, he was blind. Rosie’s attempt to help Bailey anyway possible, at times gets a bit overwhelming to him. When Rosie gets upset with Bailey’s reactions, she can always rely on Granny Torrelli to talk her through it. Together, they make soup (zuppa) and Granny tells stories of her childhood friendship with Pardo, which closely resembles the relationship Rosie has with Bailey. Through cooking and storytelling Granny Torelli helps Rosie realize that making up with Bailey is the right thing to do. Granny Torrelli and her cooking are needed again when Rosie finds a new neighbor girl threatening her relationship with Bailey. Granny, Rosie, and Bailey make pasta together as Granny Torrelli tells more familiar stories of her and Pardo back in Italy. It’s not long before Rosie and Bailey see the connection between their lives and Granny’s lesson. They realize that friendship is what matters in life. Creech’s characters are lively and realistic. Granny Torrelli’s patient and reasonable exterior yields a feisty and lively past, which is what connects her so much to her granddaughter. Rosie’s passion for life and relationships gets her in trouble at times but readers are drawn to her loving heart.

I listened to this story on audio CD and was extremely entertained. Donna Murphy does more than read the text, she acts out the part of each dynamic character. Rosie, being an excitable child often rants with short repeated phrases. Murphy does a beautiful job showing Rosie’s burst of emotion, her childlike voice getting progressively higher and louder. Whatever emotion it may be, Murphy is able to adjust her voice to pinpoint exactly what Rosie might sound like. As for Granny Torrelli, I can still hear her low, calm Italian accent subtly giving advice to her granddaughter. The audio version of this story was amazing.
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Dec 15, 2009

Tiera rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

first: in the first part of granny torrelli makes soup bailey and rosie wasnt talking in the story. Rosie hated bailey sometimes but that was her bestfriend.

Middle: in the middle of the story her grandmom came over and maked soup. granny torrelli reads rosie mind and know that bailey and rosie not talking. rosie wanted to be like bailey everything he did bailey wanted to do. they found out that bailey had a hearing problem and couldn't hear well. so rosie tried to get him some...more

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Mar 05, 2010

Amani707 rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

recommends it for: funny people

I LOVE THIS BOOK! My favorite part of this book is when The main character finds out that her friend is blind, and her granny puts a napkin on her eyes to show the main charcter how her friend sees. The people who would like this book- are people who like serious/ funny books. The author did a really good job on making the kids talk like real kids- what i mean is that the author made the dialouge for the kids sound like their ages. I love the fact that there is lots of flashback - which help the...more

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Jan 06, 2010

Joanne rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

This book is awesome. I loved it. Very ethnic filled with lessons. Made me feel like I was with my Grandma in her kitchen again.
It is about a young girl who is life long friends with a blind boy. They are coming of age and are dealing witht the usual problems of growing up. Rosie's grandma talks to her while they make soup and questions are answered and life is good.
I was crying by the end. I highly recommend it for a light yet wonderful read.

Sharon Creech is a wonderful ...more

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Jul 05, 2009

Evangeline rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

Read in July, 2009

This was an easier to read book than many of Creech's other books, but it had just as much charm. A twelve year old girl and her lifelong best friend (who happens to be a boy) get a first taste of the challenges ahead when a new girl moves into the neighborhood, vying for the boy's affection. Granny Torrelli helps the friendship along through the rocky times with stories from her own childhood.

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Dec 07, 2009

Jasmine G rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

Read in December, 2009

I loved this book and reminds me when my friend couldn't see very well,so we took her to the docters and she said that she needs glasses so she cann stop falling every where.We was so close that she had to move because her mom married her step-father that lives in New York City,that made our relationship fall apart.
Rosie and Bailey wasn't talking.Rosie was very mad at Bailey.Bailey and Rosie be came friends and did a play.

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Jan 18, 2009

Jessica rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

bookshelves: young-adult-children-s

I read this book many years ago, and yet its plotline remains in my mind. This is a fabulous book with a heart, and it remains one of my favorite books even now. The events remind the reader of the simple things in life, and yet some issues rest on a much grander scale.

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May 14, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

Read in May, 2009

This was a cute, funny story about a girl with boy troubles who gets advice while cooking with her grandmother. I had a good laugh and liked the message I got from the book: you can't control everyone and everything, sometimes peace comes in accepting who or what life has to offer you (or what life throws at you).

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Dec 04, 2009

Grace rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

Read in November, 2009

I think it was really cool because they almost split up as friends and Granny Torrelli makes her family recipes and Granny is a lot like the main character in the book. I learned you can re-join friendships even if it's really hard to and you might need a little help.

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Aug 25, 2009

Whitney rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

Read in August, 2009

I'd read this book in probably fourth grade and loved it. I reread it today and decided that it was cute and easy to relate with, but the writing style was very repetitive and frankly, got annoying. For a kid a couple years younger than me, I'd recommend this book. To anyone else, probably not.

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Jul 25, 2009

Jody rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

Read in July, 2009

I love Sharon Creech. She has heart which is so important to me. Her characters come alive. I'm not sure if I identified more with Granny or Rosie. I loved the cooking, the conversations, the pauses (hee-hee), and the family.

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Nov 05, 2009

Jessica rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

Read in January, 2003

This book brings back LOADS of memories of me reading it when I was younger.
I loved it and it was appropriate for my grade 5 class to read together.
It's a strong story of love and friendship and what REALLY matters in life.

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Jun 15, 2009

Julian rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

bookshelves: 5-star-books

Read in October, 2008

All of my friends and me agreed that it was a weird book. But weird in a good way. It is hard to explain but it had this book had this strange feel to it that made you keep reading. It was a good book.

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Apr 20, 2009

Debbi added it (review of other edition)

recommended to Debbi by: Nona Horsley, Ken Zeeman, Sherri Christensen

The older generation has a larger perspective to offer, but the younger generation has to see it from their own eyes to understand it. Your problems were once your grandma's problems.

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Feb 20, 2009

CAO rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

bookshelves: ohms-library-books

Read in September, 2004

I loved the narrative style of this story about friendship and the jealous feelings that can arise. And Grama's cooking made me hungry for Italian food! An excellent choice to read aloud.

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May 19, 2008

lucem rated it:

(review of isbn 1402580401)

bookshelves: audio, blind-visually-impaired

Read in May, 2008

recommends it for: 2nd-5th gr. listener

CIP: With the help of her wise old grandmother, twelve-year-old Rosie manages to work out some problems in her relationship with her best friend, Bailey, the boy next door.

Listening to this in audio form it was split between 2 discs which nicely broke the book up into 2 sections/short stories. Each chapter had its own track and the narrator included it while reading. I liked the narrators use of different voices, but I would have liked the boys voice to sound more masculine. I thi...more

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Jun 21, 2009

Maureen rated it:

(review of isbn 0064409600)

bookshelves: kids

Read in June, 2009

Despite having a 12 year old main character I think this book is better suited for a younger audience. Probably 8-10. Great story though with obvious, but cute, moral lessons.

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