Muth, Jon J. 2003. Stone soup. New York: Scholastic Press.

With a change of setting, Jon Muth retells an old favorite. Three Buddhist monks are travelling through the mountains of China discussing what makes people happy. Old Siew, the wisest of the three, suggests that they go into the village below and find out. Not realizing that the villagers have become wary and distrustful, not only of strangers but of each other, the monks enter the village and knock on doors. At each house, there is no answer, and the house goes dark. The monks begin making stone soup, which interests the villagers enough to open their windows to watch. As the story progresses, the villagers overcome their distrust and work together to make a wonderful meal, which they all share. The misty hues of the watercolors by Muth slowly give way to more vibrant colors as the soup simmers along with the plot. The soft lines and blurred edges give softness to the illustrations and give a feeling of calm and peacefulness to the retelling. Although many readers would disbelieve the ease with which the monks change the attitude of the villagers, Muth’s retelling is classic with an unusual twist that provides the basis for comparisons with other versions.