________________ CM . . . . Volume XVIII Number 28 . . . . March 23, 2012

cover

The Sugar Bush.

Katherine Mossalim. Translated by Petra Johannson.
Toronto, ON: Scholastic Canada, 2011.
32 pp., pbk., $5.99.
ISBN 978-1-4431-1341-0.

Subject Headings:
Sugar maple-Tapping-Juvenile literature.
Maple syrup-Juvenile literature.
Sugar bush-Canada-Juvenile literature.

Grades 3-5 / Ages 8-10.

Review by Wendy Williams.

**** /4

   

excerpt:

A sugar maple grows to an average height of 45 metres. .....That’s about the same height as 18 grizzly bears standing one on top of another!


The Sugar Bush is an extremely well-produced book, with beautiful photography work, and excellent clear and amusing explanations of the sugaring off process. In early spring, when snow is still on the ground, sap is already rising in the tree. The sugar maple tree is a wonder of nature by tapping a hole in the trunk, and inserting a tap, with a bucket underneath to catch the sap, we are given the gift of sweet maple syrup. The syrup does need some refining and processing, but this is the best syrup of all. It is also a lot of fun to drop some syrup on the snow, where it will freeze, and provide a delicious sweet treat. The excellent pictures show very clearly how this entire process is done.

internal art       I enjoyed the author’s use of comparisons of size, etc. throughout which would make the process much clearer to students growing up in Western Canada who have not been fortunate enough to experience such a fun event. There are far too many fake syrups for sale generally, but this is one way we can enjoy the best that Nature has to offer us for our pancakes, toast and fruit. I thoroughly recommend this excellent book.

Recommended.

Wendy Williams is a school librarian, and she will enjoy putting this excellent book in her school library.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.
Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364
Hosted by the University of Manitoba.
 

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