Soup by Robert Newton Peck is a hilarious and heartwarming story set in the 1920s in rural Vermont, where life is simple, the chores are hard, and the mischief is endless. Told through the eyes of young Robert, the book chronicles his adventures with his best friend, Soup—short for Luther Wesley Vinson—a clever, trouble-loving boy whose every scheme seems to spiral wildly out of control. From riding a neighbor’s cow like a bronco to staging elaborate pranks at school, Soup’s antics are both ridiculous and genius—and Robert is always caught right in the middle. Each chapter is a new episode in the ongoing saga of how Soup gets Robert into trouble, again and again, often with nothing more than a look, a dare, or a disastrously funny idea. Whether they're building a flying machine, making their own firecrackers, or trying to win a girl’s affection with a jar of flies, the boys’ adventures are full of laugh-out-loud moments, old-school charm, and just the right amount of heart. Soup is a celebration of boyhood friendship, small-town life, and the kind of chaos only two imaginative kids can dream up. It’s a great read-aloud for kids—or for adults who remember what it’s like to be a kid just trying to survive another one of Soup’s wild ideas. This is a story my parents read to me that made us all laugh. I want to share it with all of you. I hope you'll enjoy this look at life in Vermont way back 100 years ago and how different things are to the way we do them now. This is a happy humorous book about Robert Newton Peck's childhood. There is a much more somber story he wrote called A Day No Pigs Would Die about his father's death and how much he meant to him. It's a valuable book because it sheds an honest sliver of light onto a certain little part of history that turns out to be very relatable as boys continue to disobey, act foolishly, and get into trouble in modern day too. I really love these stories and hope your kids will as well.