Grandpa's Soup

The spiritual practice of hospitality is celebrated in this wonderful book by Eiko Kadono, illustrated by Satomi Ichikawa, aimed at children 4 to 8 years old. After Grandma dies, Grandpa sits in his chair and has no energy to do anything. One day he decides to make the meatball soup that she used to make. He starts out simply and shares the results with three hungry mice. The soup isn’t quite as good as his wife’s, so he purchases more ingredients. This time three mice and a cat come for dinner.

Grandpa keeps adding things to the meatball soup and extending the circle of guests to include a dog and 10 children. In the process, he moves beyond his grief by connecting with others and creating a grateful community around him. Grandpa’s Soup is simple, elegant and richly spiritual (Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers ).