Blueberries for Sal

My almost 3 year old really likes this book, and always asks for blueberries after we read it. It is fun to read, not too short/simple but also not too long. I actually did not get the CD so cannot comment on that.

This was my favorite story book as a child, id ask my Mom to read it over and over. It also reminded me of spending summers with my brother and grandparent's. Anyway, I bought it for my nieces birthday

The book arrived on time and in new condition. This was my husband's fave book when he was a child so I got it for him as a surprise "love you" gift! He became nostalgic while he looked through it. I think it would be a fun book to read to a child!

This is an interesting book about a little boy and a bear each getting lost and getting found again by their mothers.
I thought it might be scary. In any case, my 4 yr old grandson loves it and has read it many times

A cute little story with a little suspense. About a girl and her mother, a bear and her mother on a mountainside all collecting blueberries. A little long for young children (1-3) but will be a nice bedtime story later on.

I love the story, that's why I ordered it. However it is not a first edition as stated by the seller. Original copyright was 1948 I think, but this book was updated in like 1976 and I think that should have been stated.

Buy the hard copy of the book and sit down are read with a child. Don't get the iPad version (like I did) - hard to read and did not hold the child's attention.

I'm giving two stars because of my choice for the iPad - not for the content. Still a great book and still very much a fan favorite with young children.

Early Learning? Didn't realize pictures are black and white and it's about 1960's era. Got it for my 2.5 yr old grandson who loves blueberries but story is for an older child with a longer attention span and one who doesn't rely on colorful/engaging pictures. Not a book is buy again. Anyone want to buy mine? Grandson doesn't want it!

It's cute enough, but kinda boring. ("Plink, plunk," go the blueberries in the bucket, etc.) Even the illustrations, which are printed in blue only, don't hold the attention of my three year old girl. The story itself is sweet - human mom and toddler and bear mom and baby cross paths - and maybe it's just that my little girl is a bit too young for it, but I have to admit that I don't care to read this book, either. Give me "Bear Snores On" instead any day.

McCloskey sure likes writing animal books, doesn't he? There's a little girl named Sal (she never says anything, so she's probably pre-verbal, so I'm going to guess she's maybe one and a half or two years old? at most, she's four). Her mother takes her to Blueberry Hill so they can pick blueberries to can for the winter. Sal, for the most, part eats the blueberries. She starts eating a couple out of her mother's bucket, so her mother tells her to go off and pick her own blueberries. On the other side of the hill, there's a mother bear and a baby bear. Sal gets separated from her mother (who basically wanders off, picking berries, without so much as a backwards glance to be sure her young daughter is following her). The little bear gets separated from his mother. Both children, bear and human, look for their mothers, and they each find the wrong mother and follow them without hesitation. Sal drops a blueberry in her bucket, which the oblivious mother bear finally recognizes as an unusual noise, and says, "Garumpf!" realizes it's not her child, and backs away because she's afraid of people. Little Bear starts eating berries out of Sal's mother's bucket, so the mother says, "Sal, stop that," but of course it's not Sal. The bear doesn't listen, at which point Sal's mother finally turns around, then backs away because she's afraid of bears. She then looks for Sal and finds her. The mother bear finds her son. The bears go home, "eating blueberries all the way, and full of food stored up for next winter. And Little Sal and her mother went down the other side of Blueberry Hill, picking berries all the way, and drove home with food to can for next winter--a whole pail of blueberries and three more besides." (Three more pails or three more blueberries?) And that's the end. That's it. The last page shows the humans in the kitchen cooking things and putting blueberries in jars from a pot. Presumably that's how you can blueberries. I've never done it before.

For a story involving not just bears, but a mother bear and her cub, it's surprisingly boring. It kind of smacks of negligence on the part of Sal's mother. Seriously, leaving her very young, small, daughter to fend for herself in an area that is clearly populated by bears? It's boring and pastoral. The art is decent, especially for the time period, but it has that old-time children's book wordiness and glorification of nature. In reality, bears are dangerous. We avoid them for a reason. They're wild animals. Also, Sal's mother is not nearly as upset as you would expect when she finds a bear in place of her daughter. Isn't she worried that her daughter has encountered a bear, and is possibly mauled? Nope. She just complacently looks for her.

Message: Bear cubs and human children are similar. They both wander off and like to eat blueberries.

For more children's book reviews, see the DRTTMK website.

Blueberry Hill must be a wonderful place. Sal and his mother get to go blueberry hunting there, to find enough to can for the following winter.

Sal, a little girl of about five or six years, goes up the hill in search of the blueberries. Along the way, she tends to eat more than she finds, knowing a good thing when she tastes it.

Meanwhile, Little Bear and his mother are doing the same thing, on the other side of the hill.

Sal wanders off, looking for her mother. Little Bear, too, strays from the path. Both lost, they each go hither and far. Their two separate adventures converge as they discover the mother of the other, surprising the mom.

"Blueberries for Sal" shows how all mothers are concerned for their children, and how all will look for them when they are lost. In typical Robert McCloskey fashion, the pictures are richly detailed, illuminating the imagination as he tells a gentle story.

Readers who loved, "Make Way for Ducklings," will see this as a good partner book. Unlike "Make Way for Ducklings," though is that in "Blueberries for Sal" there is more storytelling and less poetic sounding text. Both work marvelously.

I fully recommend "Blueberries for Sal" by Robert McCloskey.

Anthony Trendl
TreeFortBooks.com

this book is as old as i am
while i want to say it's outdated... there is a purpose you should buy and read this book to preschool children

it shows history- how things were different

how many preschoolers today know about canning... and its monochromatic

it's rich with vocabulary

it's a classic

read it. talk about it. read some more

worth the time

Beautiful symmetry of nature, family, and Nurture! The delicateness of this book begins with its cover: a young girl sitting in a bush picking blueberries. Interestingly, this book only has two colors on its cover-royal blue and taupe, the rest of illustrations are in royal blue. Although the book lacks color, Robert McCloskey did not lack imagination. The book explains how a mother teaches her young to save food for the harsh winter to come. It is a valuable lesson of love, patience, and staying together. The children (little Sal and a baby bear) ignore their respective mothers and wander off, eventually are reunited and continue their task of blueberry hunting. The quantity of writing allows room for discussion of images, cause and effect and possibilities as you turn the page. The book also implies the wisdom that comes along with being an adult, "She was old enough to be shy of people (bears), even a very small person like Little Sal (Little Bear)". Of course, my chest pouted out as I told my boys that moms know best. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any mother as a perfect bedtime story. There are no dangers presented in reading besides being whisked away in a charming tale.

What happens when a little girl meets up with a Mama bear both picking berries for the long winter? Then the mother of the little girls meets up with the mama bear's cub. You can imagine the great surprise as well as the action that takes place afterwards. Read and enjoy with your kids. A wonderful story.

Blueberries for Sal, is probably one of the most powerfully constructed children's book of all time. What I mean by that, is that each element of the book (story, illustrations, lessons, morals, entertainment value) is all equally displaced and of the highest quality. You can really tell as an adult that a lot of care went into putting this book out, and I remember as a child rereading this book over and over again, which definitely means in my mind that the book is good, or at least entertaining.

The story is about little Sal, who goes with her mother to help her pick berries. Sal loves berries and ends up eating all of hers, so she wonders off away from her mother to find more. Along the way, she runs into a bear. That bear has a cub, and that little bear is put into a similar situation with Sal's mother. I won't spoil the rest, but I assure you it is very grabbing for young readers and generates appreciation for caring parents.

I'd also like to point out that this book is appropriate for both boys and girls, as I read it countless times when I was young (I'm a guy), and my young daughter loves it now.

Darien Summers, author of The Mischievous Hare, a children's book.

This is a wonderful book for bedtime. It's a simple tale of a carefree afternoon on a Maine hillside. It only takes 5 minutes to read (compared to McCloskey's 18 minute "A Morning in Maine"), so you'll be in and out of the room if you're ready for some "me" time.

The more appropriate title might be "Two Bad Moms Put Toddlers in Potentially Deadly Scenarios" with a subheading, "But No One Dies, So It Turns Out to Be Quaint".

My daughter loves bears, blueberries, and books about Maine. Five stars.

OK, I have to admit that my review is probably completely unnecessary in view of the fact that there are already 55 positive ones but... I have vowed to make notes on all of the library books we check out each week so that, should I have a book faintly perched on the edge of my mind, I will be able to scan back through my reviews until I find the one I am remembering. That said, this book has been the naptime request of my 4 year old for several days and she "read" it to a pillow on the sofa just yesterday. She especially loves the phrase "Where, oh where, is my child?" She got that one dead-on. This is an excellent book for retelling and could be acted out very successfully in a short dramatic play in kindergarten. The plot is simple and fun and leads to great discussions about how humans prepare for winter (gathering the harvest, preserving foods by canning them) vs. animals who hibernate (that would be the bear). This book is, of course, need I say it???? A winner. You won't be disappointed if you purchase this one. And little Sal (Sally? It's a girl) is as cute as a button. With such wonderful 1940's illustrations, and a warm message, this book is a cozy reminder of days gone by.

Blueberry Hill must be a wonderful place. Sal and his mother get to go blueberry hunting there, to find enough to can for the following winter.

Sal, a little girl of about five or six years, goes up the hill in search of the blueberries. Along the way, she tends to eat more than she finds, knowing a good thing when she tastes it.

Meanwhile, Little Bear and his mother are doing the same thing, on the other side of the hill.

Sal wanders off, looking for her mother. Little Bear, too, strays from the path. Both lost, they each go hither and far. Their two separate adventures converge as they discover the mother of the other, surprising the mom.

"Blueberries for Sal" shows how all mothers are concerned for their children, and how all will look for them when they are lost. In typical Robert McCloskey fashion, the pictures are richly detailed, illuminating the imagination as he tells a gentle story.

Readers who loved, "Make Way for Ducklings," will see this as a good partner book. Unlike "Make Way for Ducklings," though is that in "Blueberries for Sal" there is more storytelling and less poetic sounding text. Both work marvelously.

I fully recommend "Blueberries for Sal" by Robert McCloskey.

Anthony Trendl
editor, HungarianBookstore.com

I can not tell you how many times I have made blueberry pancakes since we got BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL. My 2 1/2 year old boy loves, loves, loves this book. It has a bit more of a plot than someone his age is used to. The first time we got to a point where the story switches for the moment from the story of Sal and her mommy to the story of Little Bear and his mommy, he stopped me and paged back to look at the pages abiout Sal some more. Once we got past that, he came to love BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL. We read this one over, and over, and over. I have the sense that this book stretched out how much story he could manage, as it is longer and more complex than any storybook we had tried previously.

BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL has also been a great seasonal story for us in fall and early winter. The book is set in fall, and it has allowed us to talk about seasons. Our boy is quite interested in the idea of winter and how the people and the bears are both getting ready for winter.

BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL was one of our bedtime stories tonight, and I have a promise now to make blueberry pancackes for breakfast again. We love BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL!

This picture book originally was published in 1948, but it's depictions of small children are timeless. A bear cub goes on a berry-picking outing with his mother at the same time that a human child also goes on a berry-picking outing with his mother. Soon the respective parties are engrossed in eating blueberries. Their sweet tooths and greed for more berries lead them to get mixed up and eventually follow the wrong mothers, so that a bear cub is following behind a woman and a child is following behind a bear cub. But it is the symbol of "mother" that gives the small ones their sense of security no matter who or what, which allows for the plot twist to succeed and reach its resolution. At the same time, it made a universal observation about "mother" while providing insight into young children.

This book is best read aloud to youngsters in order that its literary qualities may captivate the listener's imagination. The dramatic plot with a twist is engaging in well-ordered progression. This imaginative picture book should sit on your child's shelf beside a copy of another great Robert McCloskey picture book - "Make Way for Ducklings"(1941).

The original "Are You My Mother?" book and a classic through and through. In this classic tale the ever androgynous looking Sal and her mother go blueberry picking in the wild outdoors. Sal, voracious for blueberries, loses her mother and attaches herself to a mother bear, just as the bear's child loses its mother and attaches itself to Sal's. The swap is easily cleared up and in the end no harm is done. Sal's mother, seeing that her child is a baby bear and not her own kid, doesn't seem particularly alarmed by the odd turn of events. She is wary of the bear (a wise thing to be) but finds her own child quickly and easily. This is a charming little story. Sweet and simple. McCloskey's illustrations and text have lasted for at least fifty years, and will undoubtedly last another fifty. Some scenes are absolutely entrancing as well. As Sal walks around a large boulder in search of her misplaced parent, McCloskey's lines display a real sense of human movement. This is such a charming story that I would recommend it to anyone anytime. It is rare to meet the ageless text, but in this book you have exactly that.

Robert McCloskey is perhaps one of my favorite children's authors. Every one of his books speak of a simpler time when life seemed to be easier. In this book, as in the others, it also shows that life is supposed to be fun and full of adventure.

Little Sal has her own adventure when she goes blueberry picking with her mother. As she's eating blueberries along the way, she becomes separated from her mother. Her separation becomes a true adventure when she encounters a baby bear picking his own blueberries. A delightful reunion with her mother takes place at the same time that Mama Bear finds her own cub.

Your children will be delighted as I was when this book was read to me by my mother when I was a child. That warm memory still lingers after so many years. I would suggest that you create your own child's memory by reading the book to them. They will come to cherish that forever.

Davis Aujourd'hui, author of the humorous "The Misadventures of Sister Mary Olga Fortitude"

Famed author Robert McCloskey ("Make Way for Ducklings," "One Morning in Maine," and others) wrote and illustrated this gently humorous parallel tale of two moms and their daughters on a blueberry hunt. One pair is human, and the other pair is bear!. As they proceed up opposite sides of rolling hill covered in blueberries, each member of the species copies the other: The moms focus on the task at hand, remembering the harsh winter ahead; the children ("Little Sal" and "Little Bear") focus on the immediate pleasures of eating blueberries--so much so, that each gets lost.

In a deftly portrayed switch, McCloskey shows the Little Bear following Little Sal's mom, and Little Sal following the Little Bear's mom. The two lost children are unafraid of following the mismatched grown-ups (ok, so McCloskey takes some liberties in this very light book). Eventually the two moms turn around and see who is following: Little Bear's mother discovers Sal and turns away: ("She was old enough to be shy of people, even a very small person like Little Sal.") Meanwhile, Little Sal's mom discovers Little Bear, and the mother back away: ("She was old enough to be shy of bears, even very small bears like Little Bear.") Each pair reunites and returns home, with an adventure and berries to savor over the winter.

McCloskey's deep blue-black drawings complement the appealing symmetry and innocence of the book, and the period furnishings, uncluttered landscape, and fashions add to the book's sentimental and enduring attraction. This is a very good bedtime story for little ones who can appreciate an affectionate and tender book.

Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk. This is the sound that Little Sal makes as she follows behind her mother dropping blueberries into her perennially empty pail. Why does the pail remain empty even as Sal keeps dropping (kuplink) in (kuplank) blueberries (kuplunk)? Because she withdraws and eats them equally fast.

Hustle, hustle. This is what Little Bear does as he tries to keep up with his mother. They are also out for blueberries, coming up the other side of the hill.

Sal and Bear (both Little) are so engrossed in eating berries that they become separated from their respective mothers. Before you know it their paths are crossed - Little Sal encounters Little Bear's mother and vice versa. And how do things get sorted out? Each mother listens for the distinctive sound - by now you know which one - and in the end is reunited with her cub.

This vintage book, over fifty years old, is a timeless classic. My daughters never tired of it, and neither did I!

I was skeptical about the McCloskey classics and have to admit was surprised when my 26-month-old really enjoyed the book. It's simple and easy to follow - the text and story are perfectly suitable for a read-a-loud for 2 year olds. Also the simple but easy to follow drawings engaged his interest and were a nice alternative to the flashy and elaborate colorful pictures usually found in children's picture books and a great simple alternative to our flashy fast-paced media culture. I also thought it was a great opportunity to help develop attention span. The length and complexity of the text was just the right level of challenge - beyond what he was used to hearing but he didn't tune out because the story line itself was one he felt he could understand or at least figure out. I'm finding all of McCloskey's books great for word choice. Most of the words are within our 2 1/2 year old's range but there are always some that are quite new and challenging so I'm glad that the text isn't dumbed down. It gives him exposure to more and unusual words that he's not likely to come across in everyday conversational language. Additionally, the comprehensible story line and the pictures can provide the support that he needs to be able to figure out the meanings of some of the novel words. So actually, I thought this was an excellent book for transitioning to more challenging text and more detailed story lines, which 3 months later at 29 months, he has done - now he's listening to "Make Way for Ducklings", another great and more complex McCloskey book for the toddler/preschool crowd. From a diversity viewpoint, it's important to be ever so slightly cautious. The book was written in the 1940s and it reflects the gender, race and class stereotypes of the time but not to an extent that makes it objectionable as long as it is only one of a few of such books in the child's collection. The story itself is very, very cute and a good book about respecting other animals and seeing them as having feelings and needs as well as humans. Because there's a sequel with an older Sal, it's also a great opportunity to introduce the child to the concept of a continuing story (which they will encounter at a later age in chapter books and series).

McCloskey wrote this about his wife Margaret (daughter of author Ruth Sawyer Durnad) and daughter Sally encountering a mother bear and cub while picking blueberries on Deer Isle. The story has some funny turns when both mother and child get separated and wind up finding the wrong family member. Imagine that! Well, all's well that ends well. And, guess you wondered what happened in the end don't you? You'll have to see for yourself. McCloskey sadly passed away on June 30, 2003 most of his life he illustrated and wrote children's books. He wrote eight books during his life. All the book reflect on family experiences, small-town life, and life in Boston. His story, 'Make Way for Ducklings' is set in Boston. McCloskey is one of the few authors that depicted Americana in a light-hearted vision through his illustration. He will be sadly missed. 'Blueberries for Sal' won the Caldecott award for children's book illustration. It's a darn good story to boot, too!

I have read this book to so many little people. It is a charming, timeless story about blueberry picking with little Sal and her mother. Sal, of course eats more than she puts in the bucket. The bears make the story a little more exciting. The ending is very nice. It is a good naptime story for little people. It is another timeless story to keep. I am on a campaign for parents and teachers to introduce some of these old and wonderful books to children.

Robert McCloskey, author of the classic "Make Way for Ducklings" is one of the greatest American children's authors. Blueberries for Sal is a great introduction to this author for the younger listener who might not have the patience or understanding for "Ducklings" or "One Morning in Maine," another beautiful McCloskey book. My two-and-a-half year old just adores this story and could hear it over and over. Here, little Sal (who is much older in "Maine") goes with her mother to pick blueberries to can for the winter and finds herself all mixed with a bear mother and child who have come to gorge themselves on blueberries. Sal's and Little Bear's frustration at being expected to keep up with their busy mothers rings true with toddlers and they adore the hilarious mother-child mix-up that ensues. Every child should read this one, if only so that children learn that people used to can their own food!

DRA: 24
Guided Reading: M

We revisited this book today and it was a winner. My now 4 year old wouldn't sit for this book when he was younger (around 2)... I'm guessing because the illustrations are not in color. Our first time trying it again and he really enjoyed it. It has a nice lesson, without banging it over your head, and while the illustrations are in navy and white, they are beautiful.
Books with bears are usually favorites at our house and this one is no exception.

I can actually taste the blueberries. Books like this need to be kept alive because they are so innocent and pure; they remind us to stop and smell the roses when are children are little because they grow up so fast. This has great discussion points like "don't wander away from your mother" or the topic of self-control: "don't eat all the blueberries now if you want to have some later."

Little Sal and her mother go to Blueberry hill to pick berries, and they plan to can them as preserves for the winter. Little Sal soons starts eating all the berries she picks, plus some from her mother's pail. Encouraged to go off to find berries to pick by herself, mother and Sal become separated. On the other side of the mountain, Little Bear and his mother are coming to eat all the blueberries they can to get as fat as possible so they can survive the winter. They, too, get separated.
Soon, Little Sal stumbles onto following mother bear and Little Bear is following Sal's mother. Eventually, the mothers discover the mistake, back away in shyness from the other's child, and look for their own offspring. Along the way, the children run into bird mothers and their families as well. Everyone goes home with the correct mother, and the last drawing has Little Sal with her mother in an old-fashioned kitchen with a wood stove working on the preserves.
The story is gently and beautifully told, and wonderfully complemented by the illustrations (also drawn by Mr. McClosky).
It is a good introduction for children to the way that all human and animal families work, the need to prepare for the future, and that one has to pay attention to where one is going. It will also interest them in blueberry picking, which is a wonderful family occupation. It is also very heart-warming the way Mr. McClosky has taken the potential fright out of a situation where a child has wandered off and run into a mother bear. The child can draw her or his own lesson that they would not want that to happen to them, rather than having the story provide terror.
Mr. McClosky has expressed a benign but significant role to nature that will serve families well. I wonder if he ever visited the Galapagos, because the animals there and the people act much like in this story.
Overcome your disbelief stalls about how children can learn from stories with this outstanding book. I rate it one of my top five of all time for younger children. It was a favorite of all four of our children. I hope it will be for you and your children and grandchildren, as well.
Think of this story the next time you eat some blueberry preserves.

It's a classic case of mistaken identity when, while on a hunt for blueberries, two very different mommies and two very different children get separated and all mixed up. Or are they really that different? With McCloskey's incredible eye for natural detail from a child's point of view, this story tells a hilarious tale about a human mother and child (the eponymous Sal) who go blueberry hunting and run into their bear counterparts, who are storing up food for hibernation. Not only are the sound effects hilarious (my son loves to chant the KERPLINK! KERPLANK! KERPLUNK! part along with me) the story also teaches a lot about comparing and contrasting characteristics in the natural world, and the striking and original blue-and-white illustrations make this book unique. Your preschooler is sure to delight in it, and your first grader is still going to love it and be able to draw more sophisticated comparisons and conclusions from the story. Sure to be a bedtime favorite for many years - it has been in my househould!

Sal and her mother head out to the hill to pick blueberries to can for winter. Sal finds eating blueberries much more enjoyable then picking, so she soon plops down to eat and eat. Bear and her cub come along to eat blueberries to store up fat for their winter nap. Soon there is a mix-up with cub following mother and Sal following bear. The mix-up is soon discovered though and all is well. Bear and cub head home and Sal and mother head home to their canning.

A cute tale though perhaps dated. Students can relate to the similarities of the mothers and children, then perhaps point out differences that they see in the illustrations and the story to their life.

That illustration, in blue ink, of Little Sal and her mother canning blueberries in their old-fashioned kitchen, always puts me in mind for blueberry pie. And jam. And muffins. This delicious tale has aged beautifully -- how right the Caldecott people were when they chose to give this book an honorable mention. From that mouth-watering first scene, to the peaceful panorama of the hilly blueberry patch on a fine warm day, McCloskey`s sweet (but not cloyingly so) tale and charming drawings of a little girl, a little bear, and their mothers, who mix themselves up while picking (and eating) blueberries, is a delectable reminder of the simple pleasures in life. My little boys empathize with Sal`s sincere intentions, and thrill to the excitement of such a close encounter with the bears.

In this classic story of survival horror, winter is looming, threatening starvation for the people and beasts surrounding Blueberry Hill. Fortunately, there is enough food for those with the sense to gather it, such as the mothers of the young protagonists. One is a human, and one is a bear. I won't spoil the thrilling conclusion, but there are several life-and-death encounters in the pages of this short story. Potential tragedy lurks at every turn of the page. You will be on the edge of your seat! I recommend parental discretion for this story, it might give your child (or you) nightmares.

This timeless classic has gorgeous illustrations. The story is adorable about a mother and daughter picking blueberries for winter. I love how the little girl is realistic in her unintentional mischievousness. My only negative thought about this books is the fact that is not entirely realistic for a bear to see a human and simply walk away, especially when her baby has gone missing. Otherwise, this is a beautiful book.
Would I recommend this book? YES. for all ages

Having grown up in the part of Maine this book is set in, and having had many days as a child Sal's age picking blueberries and eating them, I can tell you that this book captures perfectly the feeling of such a day. I can put myself into the picture and be carried back to the low scrub-filled woods behind my grandmother's house, the sun warm on my clothes, and bushes around me so filled with blueberries you could fill a pail without moving. I can hear the clink of berries in a nearly empty pail, as Sal did. I never ran into a bear, but I can almost feel like I did, from reading this book. I'm glad to say my young city dwelling son loves this book also, and it's nice to be able to share part of my past with him through it.

Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey was a book that I enjoyed very much. Even at age twenty-one, I still find enjoyment in children's books because I know that eventually the children that I teach will also enjoy a book like this one. Blueberries for Sal made me laugh multiple times, and I like knowing that I can still find humor in books that are meant for a people under the age of ten. The main character, Little Sal, is a very relatable character and I can see many of the small children that I take care of doing the same things that Little Sal does. Put a single berry in the bucket, and then eat an entire handful to fill the stomach. This book reminded me a lot of my younger brother when we used to pick strawberries with my mother. He always used to always pick one berry and then take a whole handful to eat himself. I think that the actions of Little Sal in this story reflect the types of actions that every child would do in this situation. The berries look so appetizing and small children are impatient and do not want to wait to eat them; they want to eat them there and now. Every child can relate to this situation and Little Sal fails when it comes to waiting!
As a teacher, I would gladly share this book with a group of younger children. I believe that this is something that any kindergarten or first grader would really enjoy. This story shows how mother and child interact with one another as humans, but also as animals, such as the bears, partridges, and crows. All of the `little' animals and Sal are eating the berries instead of contributing to the collection of berries that are being saved for winter, and I found this very entertaining. No matter how many times Little Sal's mother told her she had to save the berries she continued to do what she wasn't supposed to do, and eat them. Little Sal seems to be acting much like Little Bear when eating the berries and I found this very humorous. I would read this book to my students not only because I believe that it is a good source of entertainment, but also because it can send across a message that children shouldn't stray from their parents either!
I definitely think that this is a book that can be considered good literature. Not only did Blueberries for Sal win an award as a Caldecott Honor Book, but also it is a book of good humor and a type of suspense. There is a character that readers can relate to, she has a problem, and then she figures out how to solve it. In reading this, I imagine that children would spend their time wondering if Little Sal and Little Bear were ever going to find their mothers. This is a book that as a teacher, you could definitely have the children predict what they believe will happen to not only Little Sal and Little Bear, but also what will happen with all the blueberries and if they will end up gathering enough for winter. This is a book that I believe children would thoroughly enjoy and I think that McCloskey has provided children with a very entertaining story that has a happy ending. Personally, I know that I was very happy to see that Little Sal and her mother had managed to reunite and also pick enough blueberries to can and store for winter!

News Report!

Yesterday, a woman blueberry picking on Blueberry Hill turned around expecting to find her little toddler, Sal, but discovered instead a bear cub munching a mouthful of berries from her bucket! Sal was nowhere in sight! Apparently the mother had picked berries for some time thinking that the little bear following her was Sal. More alarmingly, when the mother found Sal, Sal reported having followed a large bear around for some time. Probably the cub's mother who had also mistaken Sal for her own cub. Alarming! Confusing! But Sal said it was fun! Fortunately no one was hurt, but parents should keep close track of their children when picking berries for the winter on Blueberry Hill!

Author/illustrator Robert McCloskey has created a delightful set of images to bring his timeless tale of mistaken identity to life. My son, Christopher, had a hard time deciding which was funnier: "Blueberries for Sal" or "Curious George Takes a Job." Sal is definitely more charmingly life-like, bringing back the by-gone era of canning fruit for the winter. This book serves a multi-layered purpose of teaching the importance of listening and staying close to parents as well as the culture of earlier American families and the adventure of a wonderful outdoor setting. A great book!

Blueberries for Sal depicts the love and protection of mothers in a sweet, down-to-earth way. Sal and her mother pick blueberries to freeze for the winter, while Little Bear and his mother traverse another part of the hillside eating blueberries to prepare for hibernation. When Sal and Little Bear end up following each other's mothers instead of their own, the story and its illustrations only get cuter.

As with all of McCloskey's books, the illustrations are charming and speak as loudly as the well-written words.

This is a story of a young girl picking blueberries with her mother and a young bear picking blueberries with its mother. As they amble along picking berries and eating them, the bear gets seperated from its mother as does Sal get seperated from her mother. The story is gentle from beginning to end. It brings back many memories of picking blueberries and eating them faster than you can pick them. This is a classic that I grew up with and my children are growing up with now. The pictures only enhance the text and are very gentle and sweet. The theme of the story is very nice and reassuring to young children. Well worth the time and money to buy this book.
Enjoy.

A children's book about a little girl named Sal who goes up into the hills to pick blueberries with her mother and eats as many blueberries as she puts into her pail! She encounters a mother bear and her cub also picking blueberries; but, soon the little cub is trailing Sal's mother while Sal is trailing the mother bear. McCloskey's blue and white illustrations are perfect for this story and it resulted in the book being a 1949 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., a runner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustration in a book for children. It is a must for the shelves of any parent of a preschooler or the shelf of any serious student of children literature.

This is a wonderful old story. Mother and child go blueberry picking. Mother bear and cub go blueberry eating. At one point child is following bear and cub is following human mother, but the mothers don't know the one behind them is not their own. It's such a cute story.

This book is one of the most unforgettable children's books of all time. Its simple drawings, charming story, and lovely blueberry imagery make it a delight for children, especially young ones. The pacing is slow and deliberate, easy for young children to follow. The story is vividly told--you can almost hear the sound of Sal's blueberries dropping into her bucket. The encounter with the mama and baby bear give it a bit of excitement. Make sure obtain a hard cover copy of this classic as you will be reading it to your young ones over and over again.

This is a simple book of a Little Sal, and Little Sal's mother, and Little Bear, and Little Bear's mother, who get mixed up with each other on Blueberry Hill.

It's very realistically written and illustrated, and the exciting part isn't too scary for little ones.

I will note that it's a bit long - maybe better for kids with longer attention spans than shorter ones. If they're as young as Little Sal is, it might be better to wait a year before reading :)

Blueberries for Sal has always been a favorite of mine, and now my three-year-old son is enjoying the book! We've read it bunches of times, and now he recognizes it at the library when we see it. We've checked out the audio tape a couple of times, and have it right now. I think I'm going to have to renew it because it's all he wants to listen to in the car! On one side is a nice reading of the story, and on the other, little songs, games and comments from the readers. Some are familiar, such as "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, Turn Around" and "The Bear Went Over The Mountain" and some are new, such as "No Bears Out Tonight". It's a better value than many books on tape, which only have the story and not the extras like this one does.

For our family, each summer we read "Blueberries for Sal" together. Then we drop the blueberries that we've bought (sadly not picked) into a tin bucket to listen to the kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk, and end with making blueberry jam to put aside for winter.
It's something my older children remember with delight, and something my youngest is newly excited about. The illustrations are beautiful, especially of Sal and Sal's Mother in the kitchen.

The story is sweet, set in an earlier time but does not come across dated. There is an opportunity for math lessons (Sal keeps eating her berries = subtraction; tremendous mouthful = size/proportion) here. Beyond that, kids just love this story. I don't know if it is that there is one main character, a child, and another prominent character, a bear, or what, but I have given this as a gift and it is always a favorite.

Although the illustrations appear a bit outdated and even stereotypical, this is truly a children's classic. I remember reading it as a child, and now I have seen it anew through the eyes of my neice and nephew (who loved it) and now my own daughter. When followed by a field trip of berry picking, this is a fun and educational experience which will surely create a great memory for your family

We have several hundred children's books on our shelves. This is a well written story that my daughter and I never get tired of reading. It is high quality writing. Robert McCloskey is one of my favorite discoveries. If you're trying to decide if you should purchase this book, the answer is yes.

This is a story that you were probably read as a child. It is one of those wonderful stories, so rarely written in this day of commercial tie-in books like Bob the Builder and such, that both the child and the parent can enjoy together and even both get a good chuckle out of.
If you are looking for a fun children's book with great illustrations, this is for you.

Sal is every little kid eating all the blueberries in her pail and then reaching into mom's pail to get some more. It is a cute story of mother and and child that all parents and their children will relate to. It is one "children's book" that appeals to all ages. There is adventure and surprise all mixed with humor but I'll let you read about that.

As with One Morning In Maine and Make Way For Ducklings (among his others), McCloskey has that wonderful, classic, hand drawn style of charcoals I admire and never tire of--will there be a resurgence from today's illustration students? A re-emergence of the original? (Will they shun the aid of the computer and use their hands?) I hope so.

Long live this style of artwork.

Of the thousands of books she reviewed only a handfull landed in her personal collection, Blue Berries for Sal is one of them. My Mother had a masters degree in library science and served California's Ventura County as Childrens library administrator for many years. It remains a book dear to my heart and now dear to my young daughter.

Since I live in Maine this is almost a primer around here. Since I also live in the wild blueberry portion of Maine it was a must have. Now, years later my two boys love the story and will tell me about their blueberry picking trips just like "litle Sal" who whithout a doubt embraces all it is to be small and full of wonder. Mr. McCloskey is a talented and gentle writer who captures the minds and feelings of the small and tall.

A little dated, but still a wonderful story. Illustrations are clasic. I sent this to a niece after she went blueberry picking with her mom and aunt. I think she has read each book every day since.

Mothers everywhere look forward to a sunny day spent on a hillside picking berries with their offspring. Many adventures have been shared by families that set out to spend a few quiet moments between parent and child. Here is an opportunity to stimulate the imagination of a child with the wonder of exploration.

Both the story and blue-ink illustrations are simple but charming. There's nothing mythopoetic here, but there is something magical about just being out in the wide-open country picking berries (we're going to pick wild blackberries today!). An excellent short bedtime story of the "light reading" variety.

My Mother read Blueberries For Sal to me when I was a child in the early 1950's. I read it to my children 20+ years later. It holds the magic still today. The gentle story and the classic illustrations will enchant children and stay with them throughout their lives.

I don't understand the positive reviews here or the caldecott award. The sketchings are artistically done, true, but in a way an adult can appreciate intellectually; they don't really evoke emotion. The story is a yawner.

Of the thousands of stories I read my daughter as she grew, this was my favorite. It is of a mother and her daughter and a mother bear and her cub going blueberry picking (eatting) in late summer. The little girl and the little cub end up following the wrong mothers! I won't give away the last two sentences of the story which are wise and wonderful.

You should also know that the blueberry colored ink drawings are detailed and delightful. When you read this story for the first time to your little one, be sure and have some blueberries at hand.

My daughter is in love with this book! It is the most simple adorable book. We have read this book EVERYNIGHT for the last two months. She is 2 1/2 so its perfect for her. She can now look at the pictures and tell me the whole story almost word for word.

My daughter loved this book from the age of six and continues to love it now that she is just about eight. This book doesn't hold my six year old son's interest as long as it did my daughter's but he does like it. Makes a nice gift for any that age group.

This book was read to me when I was a child. I loved this book and remembered it as one of my favorites. When I found out I was pregnant, I ordered this book so that my children could read this same beloved story. It's wonderful and a true classic!

Classic. Every child should have this story read to them many times. It's tone is sweet, but subdued. The plot introduces an element of suspense on a level that is appropriate for pre-schoolers, and the climax of the story neatly resolves any tension created. My 5 year old granddaughter loves this story.

I just got it and my 4 yr old liked it very much....I would not say it is her favorite and she was quite taken aback on the page where Lil Sal follows the bear (she turned to me with big scared eyes and said UT oh!) but it is definitely a cute and well written children's book....

sweet book for little kids. It is an excellent book to read aloud to your children and grandchildren. It is about a girl out picking berries for her mom and it shows a baby bear doing the same for his mom.

Robert McCloskey is a well known children's writer and this book is one of the reasons why (the other is Make Way for Ducklings). With elegant prose he relates the similarities between a girl helping her mother and a bear cub helping its mother; how being a child is more than a human condition. The appreciation of this book grows with age - making is a perfect gift/hardcover selection.

My daughter (2 1/2yr) loves this book. The pictures are drawings in black and white, not full color, which seems to hold her attention more. The bears in the story are not scary but sweet. It even encouraged her to eat blueberries! I definitely recommend this book.

My kids and I love reading this book together. We enjoy picking berries together and so we can relate to this wonderful book. Luckily we have not had the bear issue...The pictures are beautiful and the story is so sweet.

Wow, this story is awful! I am sad I paid for this book because I did not enjoy reading it and did not read it to my kids at all!! A child who is into adventure and would not be scared by this story would, instead, be bored to tears because hardly anything happens. My more calm and sensitive daughter, who loves a slow-paced story, would cry herself to sleep if I read this to her. Frightful! The little girl wanders away from the mom (who does not seem to care or even notice at all!) and ends up near a mother bear (can you say DANGEROUS?!)... whom she mistakes for her own mother. The bear-cub has an almost-identical adventure, until each offspring finds its way back to the correct mom. As far as it goes, that's sort-of cute... but only if you anthrpomorphize the bears and completely forget how VERY DANGEROUS this would actually be (and, yes, even my small kids would realize this). Just way, way too over-romanticized while also being painfully slow-paced.

That's the only way to describe the illustrations in this classic children's book. The hard cover is also embossed with the Caldecott Medal, which makes it an expecially nice touch when giving this as a gift. My granddaughter just loves it.

My son is almost 5 years old and loved "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert McCloskey (RM). My son had a loose tooth and a friend recommended "One Morning in Maine" by RM. So, I bought that as well as "Blueberries for Sal" and "Burt Dow...". He loves all of the books by RM. "Burt Dow..." is his favorite and "Blueberries for Sal" runs a close second.

A book about a little girl and her mother spending a day together picking blueberries. Along their journey they run into others that have the same idea. When I was a young girl my mother took me berry picking at a small farm in my hometown. Reading this made me smile and remember parts of my childhood. This is a neat story that all children should have the chance to read. It is also a wonderful story to keep in a classroom.

A must for reading to your children. My father read this to me when I was little; I requested it so often that he recently confessed to hiding it on occasion just to get a break from saying "kerplink kerplank kerplunk". I am about to give birth to my first child and can't wait to read all of McCloskey's books to her. I also highly recommend Make Way For Ducklings, One Morning in Maine, Lentil, and Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel. They are all well-illustrated, timeless classics.

Blueberries for Sal is a favorite book from childhood and is still one of my favorite books to this very day. This book is about a young girl who finds herself caught in a wild adventure while she is picking blueberries with her mother. It is a perfect book to sit down and read together as a family, and is a story both children and parents can relate to. I will never forget listening to my mother read, eating blueberries, and singing kurplink, kurplank, kurplunk.

As a child, this was the book I sought out every week on my trips to the library with my mom. The illustrations are wonderful and I always loved the parallel between the child and the bear cub each wandering off from their moms on the blueberry picking adventure.
Now I am ordering this for my first child and am so excited to have it in my home and can't wait to share it with my baby!

Being from Maine, I may be a little biased, but I think this is one of the best children's books ever written. It combines wonderful illustrations with a fine story that blends humor and drama as the blueberry pickers get mixed up. The story has been a childhood favorite for years and remains as fresh as it did at its first release in 1948.

I attend West Virginia State College. My name is Mary Cook and I am taking a children's literature class. The book would be appropiate for preschool children. The blue and white drawings give you the thought of blueberries. The book teaches sequencing of events and comparing events to small children.

This is a charming, classic story about a little girl who goes berry picking with her mom & has an adventure with a bear. I remember it from my growing up days so was pleasantly nostalgic & excited to share this with my young daughter. Unfortunately, I didn't read the item description closely enough. This is a small, flimsy paperback version. I should have guessed, for the price. I recommend finding a hardback version so it will last for years, or at least look at this in a store so you can decide for yourself if it's adequate for what you want.

This is a good book for kids because animals are in it,and they talk.It's about a five-year-old;his mother and a little bear,and its mother. The two stories parallel each other and children can compare the two stories. There are pictures on every page. All the pictures are in blue. It's simple to read,too. If I graded this book I would give it three stars.

This is a good bedtime book for my two sons (ages 3 & 1 1/2). It has detailed illustrations, good dialog, and is long enough to help them settle down for bed. This book is requested often by my three year old.

Truthfully this is old school with sentimental appeal to those of us who were read it as a child but by today's standards the book reads a bit dull. I love how children's books nowadays are clever, witty, even takes on adult material then rendered for a kid audience. My son loves so MANY MANY books and this was really one that made him yawn. Me too.

While I love the story, the simple illustrations and the theme, I think it is somewhat longer than it needs to be. My two year old tends to agree and begins squirming to get another book before we finish the story.

In this classic story of survival horror, winter is looming, threatening starvation for the people and beasts surrounding Blueberry Hill. Fortunately, there is enough food for those with the sense to gather it, such as the mothers of the young protagonists. One is a human, and one is a bear. I won't spoil the thrilling conclusion, but there are several life-and-death encounters in the pages of this short story. Potential tragedy lurks at every turn of the page. You will be on the edge of your seat! I recommend parental discretion for this story, it might give your child (or you) nightmares.

I enjoyed this book when I was a child, nbut it seems sadly dated now. It couldn't hold the attention of my daughters. Maybe that's more of a comment on the modern child's short attentioin spa than anything else.