Soap! Soap! Don't Forget the Soap!: An Appalachian Folktale

by Tom Birdseye Narrated by Tom Stechschulte

Overview

Deep in the mountains of North Carolina, there once lived a young boy with such a poor memory that he sometimes forgot his own name. Now, Plug Honeycut's mother loved him. So she was the only one who had enough faith in her son to send him on an errand. Leaving their hilltop cabin, he started toward the distant country store to buy some soap. As Plug trudges along the path, over the hills and streams, he also follows the erratic trail of his elusive memory. The result is a folktale that is sure to have listeners laughing out loud at the adventures Plug meets on his quest and the unforgettable result of his journey. Former teacher Tom Birdseye is a favorite author of young readers. His fun-filled stories, including I'm Going to Be Famous and Just Call Me Stupid, appear on school reading lists across the country. Soap! Soap! won the Nebraska Golden Sower award for children's fiction.

Editorial Reviews

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-This droll, cumulative story tells of an ever-so-forgetful boy, Plug, whose loving mother sends him to the store for soap. Concentrating on his mission as he walks along, Plug calls out the refrain of the title, causing an elderly woman to fall into the creek. She dunks him and leaves him with a new line that takes its place in his memory instead of the old one: "`What a mess I've become, but now you're one, too!'" This sentence offends the next person he meets and the chain of mishaps continues until a bedraggled but triumphant Plug returns home with the soap. This version differs from Richard Chase's tale of the same title in Grandfather Tales (Houghton, 1973) in its emphasis on motherly love and in its softened, less punitive approach. Students may recognize a similar story in Pat Hutchins's Don't Forget the Bacon (Greenwillow, 1976). Glass's bright, action-filled illustrations are reminiscent of Stephen Gammell's work in Cynthia Rylant's The Relatives Came (Bradbury, 1985). Birdseye's vivid language, use of repetition, and tone invite oral readings. A book that will be useful for story hours and units on Appalachian tales.-Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, Laramie

FEB 98 - AudioFile

Birdseye’s retelling of this Appalachian folktale centers upon a young boy’s quest to remember to buy soap and the ridiculous events associated with fulfilling the assignment. Stechschulte’s narration sounds pleasingly smooth and American, like a media broadcaster’s. He switches into stereotypical Appalachian accents, with a slight nasal twang and controlled delivery, as he gives each character’s part vocal intonation. As Plu, the boy hero of the tale, Stechschulte adds just the right mix of innocence and ignorance. Keeping the accents from becoming outlandish or overdramatized, Stechschulte remains clearly understandable, presenting no listening difficulty even for the youngest listener. P.A.J. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170878222
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	11/14/2008
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	Up to 4 Years

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