A stingy fisherman always makes his three young helpers do all his work. One day he scolds the lazy boys for forgetting to provide lunch. Dont worry, they say. We can make stone soup. The boys dig a hole and fill it with water and flavored stones. They trick the fisherman into making bowls and chopsticks, and fetching salt and sesame oil. While hes busy, they stir in bird eggs, add wild vegetables, and slip fish into the soup. By the time the old man returns, they have a feast fit for a king. To this day, Egg Drop Stone Soup is a traditional dish in southeast China. A recipe is included.

 

This book has been graded for interest at 5-8 years.

There are 32 pages in this book. This book was published 2007 by Dutton Books for Young Readers .

Ying Chang Compestine was born and raised in China. She is a national authority on Chinese cuisine and culture and the author of three cookbooks for adults and eight picture books for children. She lives in California with her family. This is her first novel.