Maple Syrup from the Sugarhouse

October 2, 2017
A girl named Kelsey joins her father and other family and friends when the time is right to harvest sap and turn it into maple syrup. Knowlton gives Kelsey a chipper narrative voice, which is matched by the bright colors and friendly interactions in Mitter’s illustrations. While informative, the descriptions of how syrup is produced lead to some dry moments in the book (“Daddy starts the pump to suction the tap through a filter into a large holding tank,” notes Kelsey). But both the text and the art make clear how much work goes into producing maple syrup, how slow the process is, and how a community comes together to get the job done. A closing list of facts should intrigue readers who can’t imagine eating their pancakes without a good glug of syrup. Ages 5–7. Author’s agent: Victoria Selvaggio, Jennifer De Chiara Literary.

November 1, 2017

K-Gr 3-Kelsey and her father head out to tap the sugar maple trees now that the days are warmer and the tree sap is rising. Family and friends arrive at the sugar bush camp to help. As they work, the steps for making maple syrup and processes such as evaporation are clearly explained through Kelsey's conversations with her father and the tasks they perform. The font is classic serif, large and bold for easy reading. Some of the text is alliterative and shaped for emphasis. The illustrations are appealing with bright, saturated colors framed by the natural whites and browns of a winter landscape. Faces and forms of people are deceptively simple lines, yet expressions are clear and well defined. The children and adults are a diverse bunch in ethnicity and age. Spreads add depth and perspective to the busy, labor-intensive system for making syrup from sap. There are end notes with facts about maple trees, maple syrup, and the maple syrup industry. These notes are not sourced, and there are no additional resources listed. This title is a fun, comprehensive look at the process of making maple syrup the old-fashioned way, written by a veteran author who is also an experienced maple sugar farmer. VERDICT This will be a popular addition to seasons or farming sections for younger students.-Gretchen Crowley, formerly at Alexandria City Public Libraries, VA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2017
A group of family and friends performs the chores in the sugar bush that lead to fresh maple syrup. It's not just collecting sap and boiling it: bottles must be sterilized, wood gathered and stacked, the sugar content of the boiling syrup monitored, and the finished syrup filtered and bottled. As young Kelsey follows her father around the wood, it's clear this isn't her first exposure to this northeastern spring ritual, though this is belied by didactic and expository dialogue, as when Daddy explains how the trees have stored sugar over the winter. Kelsey's chores are kid-appropriate: hammering spiles, hanging buckets, stacking and carrying wood, and curiously peeking and asking about the syrup's readiness as it boils. The boiling goes on all night and into the next morning, when the family enjoys a maple syrup-centered breakfast while waiting for the sap buckets to fill again. Mitter's illustrations play up the camaraderie of working together. Skin tones range from Kelsey's own white skin to light and dark browns in this multiracial gathering. While the tractor and single storage tank indicate that this is not a large-scale operation, the evaporator and dedicated sugar shack mean this isn't just a hobby, either. The final page includes more facts about maple syrup. Readers with maples get ready: kids are sure to want to try their hands at boiling their own syrup. (Picture book. 3-9)

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July 1, 2018
Kelsey is excited for sap run season. She assists her dad through the harvesting process; the event requires a lot of waiting, but the story makes it feel like a days-long party with many helpers. The writing can be syrupy ("singing their ting-a-ling drip, drop song"), but in the eye-catching illustrations, bright winter clothes pop against soft, snowy forest backgrounds. Additional facts appended.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)