Linda Glaser takes this well-known classic tale and adds all new charm to it by setting it in the fictional Jewish village of fools- Chelm.

“You know what we say at Passover,” the stranger proclaimed to the people in the square. ‘All who are hungry come and eat’.”   The town’s people, of course, try to shoo the stranger away. Then, he shows them his stone that can make delicious matzoh ball soup. Little by little the stranger coaxes the villagers to bring out first the salt, then the onions, followed by garlic, carrots, celery, and chicken.  The stranger is called to task for not having matzoh balls in the soup.  His stone can make matzoh balls so heavy they will stay in your stomach for a week. To this the Chelm villagers bring out their famous light matzoh balls and put them into the soup. Then, “it took four men to lug the pot into the synagogue– the only place where everyone would fit for the Seder… The stranger spread his arms wide and proclaimed, ‘ All who are hungry, please come and eat!'”

On the page turn, the reader will learn about “A Little about Passover”, “A Little about Chelm”, and “A Little about Stone Soup”.

In this the 21st Mallory book, there is all the drama of pre-teen girls, but with more than the usual maturity level in the end to solve the problem.

It all begins when a new neighbor girl moves into the house across the street from Mallory. She looks incredibly like Mary Ann – Mallory’s BFF. Mallory is jealous immediately of the attention the new girl Chloe Jennifer (and her family) is getting from Mary Ann and is feeling left out. ” I just don’t like that having  her around makes everything with Mary Ann different. It’s like Mary Ann has forgotten that we’re supposed to be best friends.”  (p. 66)  Mary Ann over compensates for Mallory’s coolness towards Chloe Jennifer. Mary Ann gets very bossy to the point she has Mallory cutting Chloe Jennifer’s hair. OOPS! Grounded. Chloe Jennifer has to get a new shorter hair style. “From the minute she moved to Wish Pond Road, I was so worried that she would mess up my friendship with Mary Ann that I didn’t really give her a chance. ” (p. 121)  Mallory is able to get ungrounded to give Chloe Jennifer a chance. Also, Chloe Jennifer’s tells her side of the story about being the scared new girl to Mary Ann and Mallory.