Vintage - Blueberries for Sal

Vintage for you

                                      " Quote of the Day!

"I know that you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realize that what you hear is not what I meant."

                                                   ~ Robert McCloskey

Title:  Blueberries for Sal

Author and Illustrator:  Robert McCloskey

This classic, vintage book won the Caldecott Honor Book Award in 1949!  All the illustrations are detailed, and done in blue ink on white paper, a tribute to the blueberry theme that McCloskey is incorporating in his story .  This book is recommended for kids ages 2-6.  

This timeless treasure takes us back to an era of picking our own blueberries out in the country, bringing our harvest home and then actually canning them to eat during our winter season.  The love of a nurturing mother teaching her child to be self-sufficient and having fun doing it, is a wonderful skill to pass on to the next generation.  

The story begins with Sal and her mom in the kitchen, obviously planning out their day as they pack and get ready for their big "blueberry adventure".  As they begin the task of picking those luscious, ripe berries and filling their buckets,  "the words kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk" resound as the berries are dropped one by one into the empty container.  

Sal likes her method of retrieval best ....  one berry for the bucket .... six for her mouth.  Yum!  She eats her way across the field and stumbles upon another family that is present on the hill.  This family mirrors the preparation of the upcoming winter, but "bear " style.  A mother bear and her cub are in the very same area, wandering and eating berries so they too can get ready for winter.  Their hibernation is just around the corner and they need nourishment and fat to get them through their long winter's nap.  Little bear is eating and dreaming his way across the field too....there is a mix-up with mothers as both Sal and the cub follow after the wrong one.  Finally the little ones are reunited with their proper moms and they all continue picking berries on the opposite side of the hill with their mind focused on winter survival.  

The illustrations are beautifully executed and expressive.  They are timeless, right out of the 1948 era, lovely monochromatic.  I am sure you will enjoy this book again and again.  

About the author:

Robert McCloskey

Writer

John Robert McCloskey was an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He both wrote and illustrated eight picture books and won two Caldecott Medals from the American Library Association ...Wikipedia

Born: September 15, 1914, Hamilton, Ohio, United States

Died: June 30, 2003, Deer Isle, Maine, United States

Spouse: Margaret Durand

Movies: The Doughnuts

Education: National Academy of Design, Vesper George School of Art

                                                    Book Review rating:    8  (Fantastic!)

Read on and read always!

Have an awesome day and talk to me. Have you read this book?  Would you like to read it to your kids?  Any memories of it at bedtime?  From school?  Love to hear your thoughts.