Pumpkin Soup    by Helen Cooper Order:  USA  Can Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2005 (2005) Hardcover, Softcover Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch What do you get when a cat, a squirrel and a duck all live together? Inevitably, trouble, that's what! In this charming tale, these three animals have their very specific roles in seeing that their household runs smoothly, and the making of pumpkin soup is no exception: Cat always slices the pumpkin, Squirrel always stirs in the water, and Duck always puts in a pipkin of pepper. One day, Duck decides that he would like to stir the soup rather than being in charge of the pepper. He meets with much resistance to the proposed change in the order of things: 'Then there was trouble, a horrible squabble, a row, a racket, a rumpus in the old white cabin.' Duck storms off in a huff, and when he does not return right away, the others become worried and regret that they did not accept his offer of help. Pumpkin Soup offers a sweet lesson in sharing, cooperation and respecting others. The soft illustrations, done in beautiful autumn colors, are wonderful. And Cooper accurately captures the moods of the animals, especially in the scenes where Cat and Squirrel fret over Duck's absence. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews