Mr. Lepron's Mystery Soup

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Author(s)

Giovanna Zoboli

Co-Authors / Illustrators

Mariachiara Di Giorgio

Publisher

Candlewick

Genre(s)

Age Range

Release Date

October 01, 2024

ISBN

978-1536233391

Buy This Book

Stunning artwork from the acclaimed illustrator of The Midnight Fair illuminates a sweet cautionary tale about a rabbit whose fabled soup-making gets away from him.

Mr. Lepron is a rabbit who lives in a cozy burrow with many offspring. Every year on the first day of autumn, he reaps vegetables from the farmer’s garden—carrots, onions, celery, beans, aromatic herbs, and much more—and makes the best soup on earth, adored by his family. As it simmers, he dozes and dreams of being a famous cook, hosted by kings. And sure enough, his soup is so good that it starts drawing creatures from all over—until one day a factory springs up in the woods, with Mr. Lepron presiding day and night and soup cans for sale in all the most renowned shops. But as demand rises, Mr. Lepron’s dreams become fretful, and soon he starts hearing complaints: his soup is not as good as it was. Has his recipe changed—or has Mr. Lepron? How can he recapture the joy he once shared with his family? Mariachiara Di Giorgio’s exquisitely detailed artwork appears lit from within as it captures the pastoral setting, a range of expressive forest animals, Mr. Lepron’s fitful dreamscapes, and the palpable sense of peace as he rediscovers what truly matters.

Editor review

1 review

If you build it, can you sustain it?

March 09, 2025 (Updated: June 04, 2026)

Overall rating

4.0

Plot

4.0

Characters

4.0

Writing Style

4.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

4.0

After raising a bounty of fresh garden vegetables on his estate, Mr. Lepron's children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren help him reap his harvest. He then concocts a delectable soup out of the produce, seasoned with fresh herbs and love in his special soup pot. The soup is offered to neighbors and friends, who all spread the word about how tasty it is. Soon, everyone wants a taste of the soup, intrigued by the special flavor. Eventually, Mr. Lepron starts a soup factory, and plans distribution of six flavors, including the deep purple beetroot. Sales are good at first, but as work consumes more and more of Mr. Lepron's thoughts and horrible dreams, the quality of the soup suffers, and people start to complain. Eventually, the harried hare shuts down the factory and returns to his roots, making soup for the people he loves because it gives him joy, and his cooking returns to its previous quality.

Good Points

This Italian import clearly shows a love of cooking, and fans of farm-to-table movements or slow food initiatives will love Mr. Lepron's devotion to his yearly ritual of making soup for his family. Of course, entrepreneurship is often valued; why not commodify something good and make money from it? Lepron sets out with all the good intentions in the world to do this, but has to eventually bow to the fact that there are some qualities that can't be canned and shipped.

The watercolor and gouache illustrations feel very rich and textured, and show idyllic scenes of Lepron's family eating soup, but also frightening ones of witches in swamps! The can of Lepron's soup is somehow especially enticing, with the faintest of nods to the iconic Campbell's Soup label. There is a very classic, almost 1940s picture book feel to these, and plenty of details to add interest. The translation readers smoothly.

This started out with a "Peter Rabbit starts a business" vibe, and then became a bit dark, with soup flooding poor Mr. Lepron's dreams. I can't think that there are many cautionary tales about work Life balance, but this would be a good cautionary tale alongside Jory and Oswald's The Good Egg, Creech and Bliss's A Fine, Fine School, or Bond's Much Too Busy.