The Biggest Soap
By Carole Lexa Schaefer
Illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen

     Within three days of having this charming book, my four-year-old daughter had requested it eight times. It's that kind of book. In The Biggest Soap, it's laundry day on a little island in the South Pacific, and a boy must run to buy the biggest cake of laundry soap for his Mama's washing day. He's in a hurry so he doesn't miss the laundry day stories, but his big heart makes him stop to lend a hand and a bit of soap over and over again. My daughter loved the storytelling elements and the exotic setting, illustrated by Stacey Dressne-McQueen's gorgeous bright illustrations, inspired by Gauguin, convey the joy and family warmth of the story perfectly. Despite the seeming simplicity of the text, my young daughter found plenty of story suspense as she fretted about whether Kessy would make it back in time for the stories, and how his Mama would feel about her ever-shrinking soap. It's a wonderful look at other cultures, with genuine warmth and respect; and one of those rare books where I never felt it strike a wrong note.