Two hungry travelers arrive at a village expecting to find a household that will share a bit of food, as has been the custom along their journey. To their surprise, villager after villager refuses to share, each one closing the door with a bang. As they sit to rest beside a well, one of the travelers observes that if the townspeople have no food to share, they must be in greater need than we are. Heather Forest shows that when each person makes a small contribution, “the collective impact can be huge.” Susan Gaber's acrylic paintings portray the optimism and timelessness of a story that celebrates teamwork and generosity. A recipe and activity section on making stone soup makes the book an especially useful classroom resource.