Bear Goes Sugaring
written and illustrated by
Maxwell Eaton III
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Holiday House
Imprint
Neal Porter Books
ISBN
9780823444489
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
Did you know that it takes forty gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup? “How many pancakes can I eat with that gallon?” wonders Dog.
Every step of the process of making maple syrup is covered in this sweet (but never saccharine) informational picture book by Maxwell Eaton III, the creator of the popular “Truth About” series. It begins with Bear assembling the tools she’ll need for the project, continues with a discussion of the types of maples found in the area and why sugar maples are best for tapping, then on to drilling, tapping, evaporation and at the end of the process, real maple syrup and best of all, PANCAKES! Along the way there are hilarious asides from increasingly ravenous Dog and Squirrel, making this a book as funny as it is informative.
Author’s note. Further reading. Full-color illustrations.
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
Details
Format
Page Count
32
Trim Size
8 1/2" x 11"
Dewey
664
AR
4.1: points 0.5
Lexile
AD690L
Genre
Fiction
Scholastic Reading Counts
0
JLG Release
Mar 2020
Book Genres
Picture Book
Topics
Maple syrup. Sugar maple. Cooking maple sugar and syrup. Bears. Winter. Seasons.
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Cover Art
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Praise & Reviews
Starred or favorable reviews have been received from these periodicals:
Kirkus Reviews*, School Library Journal
Praise & Reviews
School Library Journal
Eaton’s latest picture book discusses how Bear makes her own maple syrup. The author previously wrote “The Truth About Your Favorite Animals” series and lives in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, which served as inspiration for Bear’s story. The text describes the process of sugaring from beginning to end: when to tap maple trees, the tools needed for gathering sap, and the steps it takes to turn sap into delicious syrup. Answers and alternatives to “What if…” questions are included, like “What if the bucket I used to gather sap last year has a hole in the bottom this year?” (Bear suggests using an empty milk jug with a hole cut near the top.) The illustrations show even more details, such as what an evaporator looks like, and the tools historically used in the sugaring process. The drawings act as a visual aid, especially if sugaring is new to readers. Humorous commentary from Bear’s friends Squirrel and Dog may reflect what readers are thinking throughout the story. At the end of the book, Eaton offers suggestions for further reading. Because there are not many recent informational books about sugaring, this is a good, kid-friendly selection. This title could serve as a great teaching resource for science curricula about trees and seasons and act as a wonderful mentor text for informational writing. A strong purchase for elementary school and public library collections.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 4-Eaton's latest picture book discusses how Bear makes her own maple syrup. The author previously wrote "The Truth About Your Favorite Animals" series and lives in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, which served as inspiration for Bear's story. The text describes the process of sugaring from beginning to end: when to tap maple trees, the tools needed for gathering sap, and the steps it takes to turn sap into delicious syrup. Answers and alternatives to "What if." questions are included, like "What if the bucket I used to gather sap last year has a hole in the bottom this year?" (Bear suggests using an empty milk jug with a hole cut near the top.) The illustrations show even more details, such as what an evaporator looks like, and the tools historically used in the sugaring process. The drawings act as a visual aid, especially if sugaring is new to readers. Humorous commentary from Bear's friends Squirrel and Dog may reflect what readers are thinking throughout the story. At the end of the book, Eaton offers suggestions for further reading. Because there are not many recent informational books about sugaring, this is a good, kid-friendly selection. VERDICT This title could serve as a great teaching resource for science curricula about trees and seasons and act as a wonderful mentor text for informational writing. A strong purchase for elementary school and public library collections.-Kristin Unruh, Siersma Elementary School, Warren, MI?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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