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Review: Backyard Stew

ByK. A. Ramstad

Do you have a child that says, “I’m bored,” but you don’t want him or her to waste hours in front of a screen? Open up Backyard Stew, written by Heather C. Morris and illustrated by Deborah Schreiber. It’ll appeal to children grades preschool through second, but even big kids (And should I say adults?) will be inspired by the story’s recipe for boredom.

The narration reads like the author is talking directly to us as well as the little girl in the pictures. The story starts with an inciting sentence: “It could happen anywhere.” What could happen anywhere? “It creeps up on you, pounces, and before you can blink . . .” The intrigue builds, then ends with “You are bored.” The girl in the illustrations definitely looks bored as she sits idly on the swing, yawns next to the laundry basket, and slouches over the dishwashing sink. Even the colors are dull in hue. However, the following pages engage us as the colors glow brighter. The narrator says to lean in closer until we’re right up to the girl’s face. Both we and the girl learn a special secret, and what is it? Backyard stew! 

The ingredients of backyard stew are listed like a recipe. First, get a mixing stick. Second, grab a good pot. Third, gather whatever plants you find in nature. Anybody can do this, but children need to know that they need their parents’ permission before they grab any kitchenware for their own stews.

The girl looks high in the tree for ingredients; then she looks on the ground for more and catches sight of a snail. The idea of backyard stew is to explore nature, and even if we don’t put everything into the pot, we can still observe clouds, be entertained by wildlife, and feel the softness of grass and sand. She even has a raccoon friend who joins her on her adventure, and he has a magnifying glass, watering can, and telescope handy.

What’s unique about this book is that the instructions tell us to “wiggle the page to jiggle the onions out of the ground.” Readers can either wiggle the book to shake out imaginary onions, or if they have a real-life garden, they can go out and wiggle out some real onions. They can tap on the pictures of strawberries, or they may touch real strawberries in a garden or at a farmers’ market. If there are still dandelions outside, they can blow on them, or if there aren’t any, they can blow on the dandelions in the illustrations.

Encourage friends to join you in making backyard stew, and once you’re done, the book says to, “Dump it all out and brew something new!” You can use whatever ingredients you want. The last illustration shows the girl and her friends climbing a treehouse, swinging on a swing, picking flowers, and playing in a sandbox. They may be gathering more ingredients, or they may be simply playing and enjoying the great outdoors.

This story captures the wonder of childhood that seems to fade as we grow older. The back pages have more elements of childlike imagination. Along with pictures of potted plants and gardening tools, there’s a gnome holding “berry bark biscuits.” Another imaginary concoction is “mossy cupcakes.” I like the pot with the label “Stone Soup,” a nod to an old tale that also features a pot full of random ingredients.

Summer may be over, but people can make backyard stew any time of year. What stew can you make? A pot full of autumn leaves and cranberries? A skillet full of snow, pine cones, pine needles, and twigs? Your imagination is your limit. 

Backyard Stew was released everywhere yesterday, September 15.

K. A. Ramstad
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