Soup’s On Around the World

By Denyse Waissbluth & Chelsea O’Byrne

Reviewed by Mia Macrossan

Soup is one of those versatile dishes that can be the prelude to a main meal or a meal in itself. Denyse Waissbluth has done her research and together with Chelsea O’Byrne has created a fascinating, mouth-watering picture book celebrating the different soups eaten around the world.

There is so much to enjoy and discover here as we learn about the different tastes, textures, ingredients and customs that people use when making soup. And, yes, everyone makes it. From spicy hot to icy cold, from sweet to sour, eaten early eaten late, the variety is endlessly fascinating. It must have been difficult to know which soup to feature – here are the familiar (to most Australians) and the unusual, all presented being prepared or eaten  in colourful spreads, each one a story in itself.

There are surprises here – I had never heard of the Australian Pie Floater, a mix of meat pie and pea soup, or that the rather pedestrian but delicious French onion soup was possibly invented by King Louis XV. There is so much to learn here. Apparently hogweed was the original ingredient of Borscht! And wonton soup is a dish more than a thousand years old and means ‘swallowing clouds’. Isn’t that lovely?

The text is arranged in two parts. There is a short two line rhyming text on most pages in a large font and then a paragraph of informative text in a smaller normal font, so you can easily tailor your reading to your audience.

An interesting and stimulating book to share and enjoy while making or eating soup or anytime.

These two have also produced Teatime Around the World which reveals all the wonderful ways we can enjoy a cup of tea––or two!

Greystone Kids 2026

Denyse Waissbluth

Chelsea O’Byrne