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Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One

Author Judy Blume
Illustrated by James Stevenson
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Paperback
$7.99 US
5.13"W x 7.63"H x 0.31"D   (13.0 x 19.4 x 0.8 cm) | 3 oz (91 g) | 48 per carton
On sale Jan 13, 2009 | 128 Pages | 9780440420927
Age 8-12 years | Grades 3-7
Reading Level: Lexile 420L | Fountas & Pinnell N
Sales rights: US, Canada, Open Mkt
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 readers a peek at how a brother and sister relate to each other.

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."

  • WINNER
    Bank Street Child Study Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award
Starred review, School Library Journal, August 2007:
"[T]he stories are sweet and accurately depict the growing pains of childhood."
Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey, making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Blubber; Just as Long as We're Together; and the five book series about the irrepressible Fudge. She has also written four novels for adults, In the Unlikely EventSummer Sisters, Smart Women, and Wifey, all of them New York Times bestsellers. More than 80 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into thirty-one languages. She receives thousands of letters a year from readers of all ages who share their feelings and concerns with her. View titles by Judy Blume
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About

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 readers a peek at how a brother and sister relate to each other.

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."

Awards

  • WINNER
    Bank Street Child Study Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE
    Kentucky Bluegrass Award

Praise

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

Author

Judy Blume spent her childhood in Elizabeth, New Jersey, making up stories inside her head. She has spent her adult years in many places doing the same thing, only now she writes her stories down on paper. Adults as well as children will recognize such Blume titles as Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret; Blubber; Just as Long as We're Together; and the five book series about the irrepressible Fudge. She has also written four novels for adults, In the Unlikely EventSummer Sisters, Smart Women, and Wifey, all of them New York Times bestsellers. More than 80 million copies of her books have been sold, and her work has been translated into thirty-one languages. She receives thousands of letters a year from readers of all ages who share their feelings and concerns with her. View titles by Judy Blume

Rights

Available for sale exclusive:
•     Canada
•     Guam
•     Minor Outl.Ins.
•     North Mariana
•     Philippines
•     Puerto Rico
•     Samoa,American
•     US Virgin Is.
•     USA

Available for sale non-exclusive:
•     Afghanistan
•     Aland Islands
•     Albania
•     Algeria
•     Andorra
•     Angola
•     Anguilla
•     Antarctica
•     Argentina
•     Armenia
•     Aruba
•     Austria
•     Azerbaijan
•     Bahrain
•     Belarus
•     Belgium
•     Benin
•     Bhutan
•     Bolivia
•     Bonaire, Saba
•     Bosnia Herzeg.
•     Bouvet Island
•     Brazil
•     Bulgaria
•     Burkina Faso
•     Burundi
•     Cambodia
•     Cameroon
•     Cape Verde
•     Centr.Afr.Rep.
•     Chad
•     Chile
•     China
•     Colombia
•     Comoro Is.
•     Congo
•     Cook Islands
•     Costa Rica
•     Croatia
•     Cuba
•     Curacao
•     Czech Republic
•     Dem. Rep. Congo
•     Denmark
•     Djibouti
•     Dominican Rep.
•     Ecuador
•     Egypt
•     El Salvador
•     Equatorial Gui.
•     Eritrea
•     Estonia
•     Ethiopia
•     Faroe Islands
•     Finland
•     France
•     Fren.Polynesia
•     French Guinea
•     Gabon
•     Georgia
•     Germany
•     Greece
•     Greenland
•     Guadeloupe
•     Guatemala
•     Guinea Republic
•     Guinea-Bissau
•     Haiti
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•     Indonesia
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•     Japan
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•     Laos
•     Latvia
•     Lebanon
•     Liberia
•     Libya
•     Liechtenstein
•     Lithuania
•     Luxembourg
•     Macau
•     Macedonia
•     Madagascar
•     Maldives
•     Mali
•     Marshall island
•     Martinique
•     Mauritania
•     Mayotte
•     Mexico
•     Micronesia
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•     Monaco
•     Mongolia
•     Montenegro
•     Morocco
•     Myanmar
•     Nepal
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•     Niger
•     Niue
•     Norfolk Island
•     North Korea
•     Norway
•     Oman
•     Palau
•     Palestinian Ter
•     Panama
•     Paraguay
•     Peru
•     Poland
•     Portugal
•     Qatar
•     Reunion Island
•     Romania
•     Russian Fed.
•     Rwanda
•     Saint Martin
•     San Marino
•     SaoTome Princip
•     Saudi Arabia
•     Senegal
•     Serbia
•     Singapore
•     Sint Maarten
•     Slovakia
•     Slovenia
•     South Korea
•     South Sudan
•     Spain
•     St Barthelemy
•     St.Pier,Miquel.
•     Sth Terr. Franc
•     Sudan
•     Suriname
•     Svalbard
•     Sweden
•     Switzerland
•     Syria
•     Tadschikistan
•     Taiwan
•     Thailand
•     Timor-Leste
•     Togo
•     Tokelau Islands
•     Tunisia
•     Turkey
•     Turkmenistan
•     Ukraine
•     Unit.Arab Emir.
•     Uruguay
•     Uzbekistan
•     Vatican City
•     Venezuela
•     Vietnam
•     Wallis,Futuna
•     West Saharan
•     Western Samoa
•     Yemen

Not available for sale:
•     Antigua/Barbuda
•     Australia
•     Bahamas
•     Bangladesh
•     Barbados
•     Belize
•     Bermuda
•     Botswana
•     Brit.Ind.Oc.Ter
•     Brit.Virgin Is.
•     Brunei
•     Cayman Islands
•     Christmas Islnd
•     Cocos Islands
•     Cyprus
•     Dominica
•     Falkland Islnds
•     Fiji
•     Gambia
•     Ghana
•     Gibraltar
•     Grenada
•     Guernsey
•     Guyana
•     India
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•     Jersey
•     Kenya
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•     Lesotho
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•     South Africa
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•     St. Helena
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•     St. Vincent
•     St.Chr.,Nevis
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