Soup (novel)

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Soup is a 1974 children's novel by Robert Newton Peck.

Its main characters are two boys, Robert (the narrator) and his close friend Luther, better known as "Soup". It takes place during the 1930s in a small town in Vermont where the author also grew up, and deals with the daily lives of these two boys. Soup is a well-meaning but mischievous schemer, constantly coming up with elaborate plans that invariably land him and his pal Rob in trouble. Rob is more sensible but less wily and frequently finds himself conned into doing Soup's dirty work. The two are best pals, however, and watch out for one another. Their frequent antagonist is school bully Janice Riker, and Rob has a mad crush on the lovely Norma Jean Bissel.

Typical moments include the boys losing their clothes and stealing more from a rummage sale that has only women's clothes, or Soup painting his name on a barn without permission and running the P over onto the corner, causing the farmer to yell "'Souf'! I'll get you 'Souf'!" There are several sequels to this book, including Soup and Me, Soup for President, Soup On Fire, Soup's Hoop, and Soup 1776. Soup and Me and Soup For President were adapted into half-hour television episodes starring Christian Berrigan and Shane Sinutko for the TV series The ABC Weekend Special. The author, Robert Newton Peck, also wrote the popular book A Day No Pigs Would Die.