Blueberries for Sal

Blueberries for Sal
by Robert McCloskey

I chose this story because it was one of my favorite childhood books. McCloskey's other books "Make Way for Ducklings" and "One Morning in Maine" are both books that I have read with my own children over and over again. I had positive memories of "Blueberries for Sal," and was eager to reread this book now as an adult.

In this charming story, Sal and her mother go to Blueberry Hill to pick blueberries to can for the winter. At the same time, a mother bear and her baby are munching on blueberries to fatten up for the winter as well. Sal and the baby bear inadvertently change places, and spend sometime following the wrong mother around the hill!

I still love this story. McCloskey's line drawings are endearing, and he really captures the image of a cute toddler, picking berries with her mother. The plot of the book is suspenseful, and as I read the book to my own children, they both made guesses about how the story would resolve. Although this book was first published in 1948, I think the story and illustrations will continue to capture the hearts of children and adults today.