School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-Leilani really wants to join the Haileys, six friends since first grade because they share the same name. But it's by invitation only and, despite her best eavesdropping and spying, Leilani hasn't been invited; nor is her name Hailey. Her plan? To invite the Haileys to a luau-themed sleepover, something her family knows all about because of their Hawaiian heritage. But when great-grandmother, Tutu, sends her pineapple invitations to the kids on the "Do Not Invite" list, Leilani's plan is ruined. Instead she must spend the weekend with her best friend and three kids she'd rather not be around. When the children follow Tutu's recipe for Sleepover Soup, a Hawaiian tradition requiring teamwork and chicken broth, things unexpectedly change for the better. With the right balance of tension and humor, Selfors's writing perfectly captures the tone of teenage angst and the struggle to fit in. Also of note is the theme of selective mutism which plays a large role. Through her retelling of "Stone Soup," Selfors reinforces the importance of kindness and manners by crafting a tale of inclusivity, acceptance, and cooperation, in a way that never feels heavy-handed or forced. VERDICT A delightfully funny, relatable tale for anyone struggling to fit in. A plus for fiction collections.-Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Five socially awkward sixth graders in Seattle learn they have more in common than they thought while they gather ingredients for sleepover soup--a soup, blessed by the Hawaiian gods, that grants wishes. This delightful modern adaptation of "Stone Soup" steeped in Hawaiian folklore is narrated by Leilani, an oversharer who immediately draws readers into her story with her chatty impulsiveness. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Five kids go on a scavenger hunt to make a sleepover soup that will grant their wishes.Seattleite Leilani is hapa haole, part white and part Hawaiian. Her goal for the sixth grade is to become one of the Haileys, the popular group in school. To show the Haileys she is fun, Leilani throws a Hawaiian luau sleepover. Unfortunately, the invitations actually go to the "DO NOT invite" list: her cousin who farts, Manga Girl (aka Tanisha), and the new boy who has selective mutism. At least her best friend, Autumn, comes too. Bored and hungry, the group decides to make great-grandmother Tutu's recipe for sleepover soup, a magic soup that requires each of them to add a special ingredient. The scavenger hunt unveils unexpected truths about each of them. Selfors' novel springs from the classic folktale "Stone Soup" and incorporates tidbits of Hawaiian culture and cosmology, often introduced in Tutu's sometimes clunkily expository dialogue. Since mainlander Leilani is largely ignorant of her own culture, this didacticism works within the plot, though coverage of cosmology is relatively slight. Overall, the story models not judging others, showing empathy, and friendship. The characters are all very differentan athlete, an artist, a book lover, a child with anxiety, and a girl desperate to be includedappealing to a broad audience. Tanisha is depicted as black on the cover; the other sleepover guests seem to be white.A good book on empathy and friendship, with some Hawaiian culture mixed in. (author's note) (Fiction. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Leilani wants nothing more than to be friends with the popular group, the Haileys, and she dreams of hosting an incredible slumber party that will make them all friends. But when Leilani's great-grandmother Tutu sends the invites to the Do Not Invite list, Leilani ends up with a party full of awkward misfits. What is Leilani supposed to do with a girl who wears animal ears and draws comics, a boy who doesn't talk, and her farting cousin? When Tutu suggests a special recipe for Sleepover Soup, for which every participant who contributes a special ingredient gets a wish granted, Leilani thinks it's just another of Tutu's stories. But her party guests think it sounds fun, so they embark on a scavenger hunt that may just turn this oddball group into friends. Featuring a diverse cast and touching on issues of friendship, loneliness, and anxiety, this modern version of Stone Soup is sure to be a crowd-pleaser and help ease the fears of transition and friendship that come with changes in middle school.--Sarah Bean Thompson Copyright 2018 Booklist
