Bone Button Borscht

Jean Pilutti is a high-school art teacher and former children’s book
wholesaler in Toronto.

One dark winter’s night deep in the heart of Russia, a ragged little
beggar enters a town hoping for a small morsel of food, some warmth, and
some company. He knocks first at one door, then another and another,
only to be met with rejection. Finally, he arrives at a synagogue, but
the shamas, the caretaker of the synagogue, does not answer. The beggar
grabs one of the bone buttons on his coat and removes it, then another
and another. “Oy, if only I had one more button!” he says to the
shamas, who has been eyeing him curiously. When the beggar promises to
make him some nice, hot borscht in exchange for a button, the shamas
agrees. Off they go from door to door asking for more buttons. The
townsfolk scoff but nevertheless relinquish buttons for the beggar’s
“miracle” soup.

Gentle watercolors and pencil renderings complement this culturally
rich retelling of the traditional tale “Stone Soup.” Children and
adults alike will be left with a feeling of warmth and good fellowship.
Highly recommended.