Blueberries for Sal

Caldecott Honor Book, 1949

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Robert McCloskey

McCloskey was not only an award-winning author and artist, but he played the piano, drums, oboe and harmonica.  As a professional artist, McCloskey exhibited oil paintings, watercolors, and sculpture at the National Academy of Design, the Tiffany Foundation, and the Society of Independent Artists in Boston.

In 1940 he wrote and illustrated his first children's book, Lentil. In 1942 he was awarded the Caldecott Medal for Make Way for Ducklings.  He was the first artist to receive a second Caldecott Medal for Time of Wonder in 1958.

McCloskey illustrated eleven picture books authored by others, but he published only seven picture books he authored and illustrated.   Amazing -- his works are iconic children's books.

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World Context

Blueberries for Sal highlights the bond between mother and child. While it reflects the era in which it was written, there is a timelessness to the idea of the closeness between human parents and their offspring mirrored in the animal world. Children love learning about family -- from identifying parents and siblings by name as a young toddler to stories about a parent's childhood for the older children -- kiddos love to know where they came from and how they are connected to the world.

There is a gentle quality to the story and illustrations which will entrance children.

Little Sal picked three berries and dropped them in her little tin pail ...

kuplink,
kuplank,
kuplunk!

She picked three more berries and ate them. Then she picked more berries and dropped on in the pail - kuplunk!  And the rest she ate. Then Little Sal ate all four blue-berries out of her pail!

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Synopsis

Sal and her mother pick blueberries for canning while a Bear and her cub eat berries for winter on the other side of the same hill.

Anyone who has taken a toddler berry picking knows more berries go into the toddler than into their bucket! But not many parents confuse a bear cub for their toddler!

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Learning Connections

With all the blueberries picked and eaten in the story, Blueberries for Sal could be used as a teaching tool for math and Leuenberger has some wonderful suggestions for how to do so in Teaching Early Math Skills With Favorite Picture Books, Scholastic Teaching Resources.

I think this is one of those special books which will prompt a conversation with younger children -- taking the time to listen, to really talk about those things which matter to them will create a strong memorable learning experience for children.

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Ages: 4 - 8; Preschool - primary grades; 56 pages. Sal and her mother pick blueberries on Blueberry Hill at the same time a bear cub and his mother are eating blueberries on the other side of the hill.

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