Freedom Soup by Charles, Tami

Join the celebration in the kitchen as a family makes their traditional New Year's soup -- and shares the story of how Haitian independence came to be.

The shake-shake of maracas vibrates down to my toes.
Ti Gran's feet tap-tap to the rhythm.

Every year, Haitians all over the world ring in the new year by eating a special soup, a tradition dating back to the Haitian Revolution. This year, Ti Gran is teaching Belle how to make the soup -- Freedom Soup -- just like she was taught when she was a little girl. Together, they dance and clap as they prepare the holiday feast, and Ti Gran tells Belle about the history of the soup, the history of Belle's family, and the history of Haiti, where Belle's family is from. In this celebration of cultural traditions passed from one generation to the next, Jacqueline Alc ntara's lush illustrations bring to life both Belle's story and the story of the Haitian Revolution. Tami Charles's lyrical text, as accessible as it is sensory, makes for a tale that readers will enjoy to the last drop.

Author: Tami Charles
Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
Published: 12/10/2019
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 10.70h x 9.20w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9780763689773
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.3
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 506942 / Freedom Soup


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 10/14/2019
School Library Journal 10/01/2019 pg. 57
Booklist 11/01/2019 pg. 55
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 12/01/2019
Kirkus Reviews 12/01/2019 pg. 189
Shelf Awareness 01/07/2020

About the Author
Tami Charles is the author of numerous books for children, including her fiction debut, Like Vanessa. During an appearance on Good Morning America, she featured a Thanksgiving version of Freedom Soup, which she first learned to make from her husband's ti gran. Tami Charles lives in New Jersey.

Jacqueline Alcántara, the illustrator of The Field by Baptiste Paul, was selected for the inaugural We Need Diverse Books Mentorship program. She lives in Chicago.