Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One

by Judy Blume Narrated by Kathleen McInerney, Judy Blume

Overview

MEET THE PAIN

My sister's name is Abigail. I call her The Great One because she thinks she's so great. Who cares if she's in third grade and I'm just in first?

MEET THE GREAT ONE

My brother's name is Jacob Edward, but everyone calls him Jake. Everyone but me. I call him The Pain because that's what he is. He's a first-grade pain. I'll always know exactly what he's thinking. That's just the way it is. These seven warm-hearted stories will give young listeners a peek at how a brother and sister relate to each other.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

This energetic, comical collaboration rounds up seven new stories about the spunky siblings from Blume's The Pain and the Great One. First-grader Jake calls his older sister the Great One, "because she thinks she's so great." Abigail, in turn, has dubbed him the Pain "because that's what he is." In distinct, equally sassy voices, the two take turns narrating the tales, which capture slices of Saturday life. The Great One provides an imaginative solution when her brother refuses to get a haircut (because he's afraid that the barber will cut his ears off), and describes her disastrous half-birthday sleepover party, at which the one friend who shows up refuses to spend the night. The Pain explains how he successfully wiggles out of playing goalie for his bungling soccer team, and tells of pet-sitting for his aunt's dog and giving the malodorous mutt a shampoo and a tooth-brushing. And the Great One proudly recounts how she finally overcomes her fear of falling and learns to ride a bike. ("I can jump rope, turn an almost-perfect cartwheel, and make pancakes with hardly any help. The Pain is hopeless at those things. So how come he can ride a bike?") Blume fills the duo's narratives with playful bickering, banter and baiting, while slyly and satisfyingly revealing their mutual affection. Further animating the kids' antics are Stevenson's (No Laughing, No Smiling, No Giggling) wispy illustrations, which feature many funny flourishes. Ages 5-9. (Aug.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3
This collection of seven short stories by Judy Blume features first grader Jacob, "The Pain," and his older sister, Abigail, "The Great One." First brought to life in her picture book, The Pain and the Great One (Bradbury Press, 1974), Blume reintroduces these lovable siblings with a series of humorous and insightful tales about growing up. From getting a first haircut to having a birthday sleepover to learning to ride a bicycle for the first time, the two youngsters try to deal with growing up in a variety of familiar situations. Narrators Kathleen McInerney and Fred Berman bring Abigail and Jacob to life by portraying them with age-appropriate voices. An entertaining and fun recording that will delight young listeners.
—Amy JoslynCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Once again, Blume shows off her pitch-perfect understanding of childhood anxieties and family dynamics. In alternating first-person chapters, siblings Jacob (the Pain) and Abigail (the Great One) describe a series of Saturday adventures, including visits to Mr. Soupy's hair cuttery, an unsuccessful sleepover and lively dog-sitting. First-grader Jake learns to like soccer league when he gets to play something besides goalie, and third-grader Abigail finally masters riding a bike. Each short chapter begins with a picture of the speaker, and all are liberally illustrated with Stevenson's sketches. Aimed at a younger audience than many of her books, the humor and convincing dialogue will keep new readers going. Jacob and Abigail first appeared in "The Pain and the Great One" in Marlo Thomas's collection Free to be . . . You and Me (1974); that story was illustrated and republished on its own with the same title in 1984. This welcome new collection should attract a new generation of readers. (Fiction. 6-9)

From the Publisher

Starred review, School Library Journal, August 2007:
"[T]he stories are sweet and accurately depict the growing pains of childhood."

DEC 07/JAN 08 - AudioFile

Squabbling siblings demand a dual reading, and they get outstanding portrayals by Fred Berman and Kathleen McInerney. Berman is first-grader Jacob, who is called "The Pain" by his older sister, Abigail. Kathleen McInerney portrays Abigail, whom Jacob calls "The Great One" because "she thinks she's so great!" Berman's depiction of Jacob is so exuberant that he's a bit annoying. McInerney has a self-assured tone that exemplifies Abigail’s bossiness as an older sister. A series of vignettes typical of childhood ensues. “The Great One” hides the fact that she can't ride a bicycle. “The Pain” eavesdrops outside his sister's door. Discerning listeners will hear the tenderness beneath their rivalry. S.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169175004
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	08/28/2007
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

Read an Excerpt

Mr. Soupy
On Saturdays we do errands with Dad. He's good at errands. Today, even though it was really warm, the Pain was wearing earmuffs. Big fluffy ones. Our first stop was the shoe store. The shoe salesman took one look at the Pain and said, "We have some nice snow boots on sale. Half price."
"Why would I want snow boots in May?" the Pain asked.
The shoe man shrugged. "Looks like you're getting ready for winter," he said, pointing to the Pain's earmuffs.
"I'm getting ready for a haircut," the Pain told him.
"Oh," the shoe salesman said, as if that made perfect sense.
The Pain got a pair of sandals. So did I.
From the shoe store the three of us walked up the street to Mr. Soupy's. Mr. Soupy is our haircutter. You have to be under twelve to have Mr. Soupy cut your hair. In the window of his shop there's a sign. It says Mr. Soupy sings while he snips your hair. "No more than an inch," I reminded him when it was my turn.
"A big inch or a little inch?" Mr. Soupy sang.
"A little inch," I said.
I knew when Mr. Soupy was done because he whipped off my cape and shook out the hair. I watched as it floated to the floor. It looked like more than an inch to me.
Then it was the Pain's turn. But he was still outside. He looked over at Dad. Dad was in the waiting area, reading a magazine. Then the Pain looked at me.
"What?" I said, even though I knew what. The Pain is scared of haircuts. He didn't used to be scared. Nobody knows why he's suddenly weird about them. Maybe he knows. But if he does, he's not telling.
Finally, he climbed up into the chair.
"Hmmm . . ." Mr. Soupy said, walking around him. "It's hard to give a good haircut when a person is wearing earmuffs."
The Pain just sat in the chair pretending he couldn't hear a word. I lifted one of his earmuffs halfway off and talked right into his ear. "Mr. Soupy says he can't give you a good haircut while you're wearing earmuffs."
As soon as I said it I started wondering if Mr. Soupy is his real name. Probably not. It's probably just some name he invented. If it is his real name I wonder if it's his first name or last? Probably his last. I wonder what his first name is? Sam Soupy? Scott Soupy? Zachariah Soupy?
Mr. Soupy tried to get the Pain to take off his earmuffs. He made silly faces. He did a wild dance. But he wasn't getting anywhere. The Pain just sat there.
Finally, I said, "Why don't you try it with just one ear covered? That way, if Mr. Soupy doesn't cut off your first ear you'll know you're safe."
The Pain didn't answer.
"Look around," I told him. "Do you see anyone without two ears?"
The Pain looked at the kids who were waiting.
They looked back at him.
"That doesn't mean it can't happen," he said. "Besides, if Mr. Soupy cut off your ear would you come back?"
"The only cut you get at my shop is a haircut!" Mr. Soupy sang. Then he laughed at his own joke.
I laughed with him.
But the Pain didn't even smile.
"You can cut the back," the Pain told Mr. Soupy. "You can cut the front. But you can't cut around my ears. Those are the rules."
"Okay," Mr. Soupy said. "No problem."
"You can do that?" the Pain asked.
"Sure."
"Won't he look funny?" I said.
"Sure," Mr. Soupy said. "But he didn't say he cared about looking funny."
Mr. Soupy raised his scissors to the Pain's head. As soon as he did, the Pain let out a wail. . . . "Waaahhhh!!!"
That got Dad's attention. He came over to the chair. "What's up?" Dad asked.
Mr. Soupy put down his scissors and said, "I give up!"
"You can't give up," Dad said. "You're Mr. Soupy. You get the job done!"
Mr. Soupy sighed. "Bring him back in a few days," he told Dad. "When I don't have a crowd waiting."

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