02 Jul Review: Backyard Soup
Backyard Soup
Series: Elinor Wonders Why; 8
Written by Jorge Cham; illustrated by Daniel Whiteson
Kids Can Press, 2024
ISBN: 9781525306266 (paperback)
$8.99 CAD (paperback)
32 pages
Ages: 3 to 6 years old; Grades preschool-1
Review by: Kelly Bergevin
Backyard Soup might be of special interest to tiny gardeners and culinary explorers! Elinor questions why the vegetables growing in her grandparents’ backyard are so different from the ones growing in her own backyard. Elinor investigates and realizes that the plants and vegetables like the desert heat! Based on the PBS Kids series Elinor Wonders Why, this picture book introduces young readers to scientific inquiry skills such as asking questions and making observations. Using bright images and simple text, the series uses kids’ natural inquisitiveness to explore nature topics. The last page introduces more vocabulary words, desert habitat facts, and extension activities. The picture book format might be easier for younger readers to follow than earlier books in the series formatted as early graphic novels.