At Grandpa's Sugar Bush
PreSchool-Grade 1?In a clear, simple text, the author tells the story of a young boy and his grandfather enjoying their annual rite of making maple syrup on grandfather's farm in Canada. They drill the holes in the trees, gather the sap in buckets (no plastic tubing here), and cook it over an open fireplace. They enjoy tasting the sap, smelling its sweetness in the air as it cooks, and, finally, pouring the tasty syrup on grandma's pancakes. The realistic, brightly colored oil paintings glow with the beauty of the woods in early spring, and with the pleasure these two share in being together. The illustrations follow the process of making the syrup as it is described in the narrative, making it accessible to young children. This book is similar to Jessie Haas's Sugaring (Greenwillow, 1996). Together or separately, these books describe well a beloved family tradition in northern rural life.?Virginia Golodetz, Children's Literature New England, Burlington, VTCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.