Sody Salleratus

by Aubrey Davis (contributor)

A seemingly simple trip to the store for a box of sody salleratus (baking soda) turns into a disappearing act for a boy, a girl, an old man and an old woman in this humorous retelling of a traditional Appalachian folktale. It's all up to a little squirrel--who's looking forward to having biscuits for supper--to discover their fate and rescue them. Full color. 32 pp. Ages 3-7. 3/98.

Genres: Picture Books

Library Binding

First published September 1, 1996

About the author

I always loved to read. As a boy I had a passion for myths, bible stories, science fiction and Mad magazine. My neighbor was a writer for CBC. Maybe I caught the writing bug from him. I loved to write funny stories. My Grade six teacher liked them. But my Grade eight teacher hated them. So I stopped writing creatively until I was 42.
In 1970, I traveled across Europe and North Africa and discovered a remarkable collection of traditional Teaching stories by Afghan writer Idries Shah. These bottomless tales puzzled, shocked and delighted me. They helped me see the world and myself in fresh, new ways. They made me think like I’d never thought before.
In 1980, I began to tell them, first to my own children, then at weekly gatherings in Toronto. Later I told stories on radio and television, and in schools, libraries and festivals across North America. I created an oral language program for developmentally disabled children. I taught them language through story. They taught me how to tell and write simply and dramatically.
One day I was invited to tell a Chanukah tale to a large and very young audience. I couldn’t find a story I liked. In desperation I wrote one myself. The children loved it and so did Kids Can Press. That’s how Bone Button Borscht was born.
Over the years, I’ve worked as a logger, farmer, salesman and teacher. Now I write and tell stories.
My book, Bagels from Benny, has won may awards including the Sydney Taylor Award and the Canadian Jewish Book Awards Children’s Literature Prize. I have also written the screenplay for Sheldon Cohen’s animated film, The Three Wishes was published in October 2011 as Kishka For Koppel (Orca). My most recent book is A Hen for Izzy Pippik (Kids Can Press),Une Poule pour Izzy Pippik (Editions Scholastic).

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

The classic Appalachian folktale, Sody Salleratus, is presented in this humorous Canadian picture-book retelling from author Aubrey Davis and illustrators Alan and Lea Daniel. Opening in the home of an old woman, an old man, a girl, a boy and a squirrel, the tale follows the boy as he sets out to buy some sody salleratus (AKA baking soda) for his grandmother's biscuits. When he fails to return home, having been eaten by a bear on his way back, the girl is dispatched to seek him, only to meet the same fate. So it goes with the elders of the family, until only the pet squirrel is left to defeat the bear and rescue his humans...

Originally contained in Richard Chase's classic collection of Appalachian folklore, Grandfather Tales , published in 1948, this story has also been retold in Joanne Compton's 1995 Sody Sallyratus , and Teri Sloat's 1997 Sody Sallyratus , both of which I have enjoyed. I'm glad I managed to track down this retelling, as I found the narrative humorous and engaging, and the artwork colorful, expressive, and full of fun. The bear and squirrel's expressions are particularly well done! There is some gore here - the bear ends up as a rug - so some sensitive readers might want to beware, but leaving that aside, this is one I would recommend to anyone looking for humorous folktale retellings and/or tales set in Appalachia.

[writer... · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Canadian authored and illustrated children's story teaching a new to readers historical word for baking soda.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little bit different from the way the Folktellers told it; but this one has great illustrations.

[Myrra · Rating 1 out of 5]

What was the point of this book?

[Elisha Brazeale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sody Salleratus: (19th century word meaning 'aerated salt', or baking soda)
Necessary spoiler alert** The people in this book *do* get eaten, but it isn't bad.If your child is under five or skittish, I wouldn't read it, yet.
The illustrations are folksy, colorful and captivating in perspective.
The redemption is that you will not feel like your child will have nightmares. It isn't like reading an original version of Goldilocks and the three bears, or Little Red Riding Hood, (and the horrible final scenes necessitating an axe, ect.)
I would not have chosen this book myself for my five-year-old; my mother picked it up at the local library. I love the original fairy tales, always have, but some of them, (understandably) are unnerving to small children. So, when I read the first page on which someone gets eaten, I looked at my five year old, thinking 'Uh-oh, what do I say now?' He begged me to go on.
Hakuna Matata! It was OK.
This book is *funny*. It has just enough build-up to keep little ones on their tippy-toes and a fast scene at the end that had my son laughing. Spoiler** Everyone is OK in the end...(well, not counting the bear - but it isn't at all graphic) and they make bisquits with the sody salleratus, (which the bear probably shouldn't have eaten, considering what happened to him).

[Weisser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no clue what sody salleratus was or meant, all I knew is the author’s last name began with a D and it looked cute. We actually learned that sody salleratus was also known as baking soda. This story is not really about baking soda. It is an Applachian Three Billy Goats Gruff. The Old Woman decides to bake biscuits and needs her sody salleratus. She sends Boy to the grocer to buy some, which he dutifully complies. On the way back home he crosses a bridge only to be accosted by a large grumpy bear. Once the bear eats Boy the story moves on. The Old Woman proceeds to send Girl, then Old Man, and then herself to find out what has taken them so long to return home. All are eaten by the bear. Oh, did I forget to mention that they had a squirrel living on the mantlepiece? Yep, and squirrel goes last to find Old Woman, Old Man, Girls and Boy only to discover the bear and his boasting at eating them all.

Squirrel ends up outsmarting the bear and … well, there is a happily ever after to this story that includes the biscuits, thanks to the sody salleratus, and a bear skin rug.

The kids love the repetitive story line and begin to “read” it with me. They love the roaring and growling of the bear. Sody Salleratus is a fun little tale great to share.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I looked this book up, I learned that this is a folk story with various renditions. It had an enjoyable repetition. I missed the ending at story tiem because Natalie ran off.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

nice version for reading aloud

[Angee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids love this story... fun to read and fun to tell.