It takes a very special kind of writer to think up a novel about an Italian granny making soup. No matter how you look at it, this is not the most gripping of subjects. But Sharon Creech is a special writer with an uncanny knack of taking an unpromising subject, looking at it from a new angle and coming up with a story that gets to your emotions and brings a smile of satisfaction to your lips. Her heart-warming novel Granny Torrelli Makes Soup shows off her talents perfectly. Twelve-year-olds Rosie and Bailey were born a week apart and have always been next-door neighbours. Rosie and Bailey are as close as brother and sister, maybe even closer because they have chosen to be each other's friend. Rosie is the most important person in Bailey's life and vice versa. Years ago, when she was still a small child, Rosie realised that there was something special about Bailey, something that at first she did not understand. Both her and Bailey's mum explained what this was and from that day, Rosie knew that she would have to look after Bailey very carefully. Bailey was not like other people. He was blind and needed an extra dose of friendship that other people did not need. But the special bond between Rosie and Bailey does not mean that they get on well all the time. As typical kids, they sometimes fight and fall out. But they always find a way of getting back on track. Until now, that is. Will Rosie's friendship with Bailey survive their latest fall-out? Poor Rosie has been secretly learning braille for more than a year so that she can surprise Bailey and help him with his reading. But when she tells him what she has been doing, he is furious and he slams the door in her face. And what about that new girl who has just moved into the neighbourhood and taken an interest in Bailey? Has she got something to do with Bailey's strange reaction? When Rosie has a problem she always turns to Granny Torrelli, who has a unique way of giving her granddaughter advice. She cooks delicious soup or pasta and tells great stories that somehow always helps Rosie understand the dilemmas that often occur in her life. Granny Torrelli is an expert at dishing up all sorts of goodies. Granny Torrelli Makes Soup is a tasty morsel sandwiched among the overblown fantasy and adventure books that fill bookshops these days. Don't miss it. It could be just the thing to satisfy your appetite. Granny Torrelli Makes Soup By Sharon Creech Published by Bloomsbury ISBN 0 7475 6468 X John Millen can be contacted on MillenBookshelf@aol.com
