Sugar on Snow

By Nan Rossiter and Nan Parson Rossiter

Book Overview

"Sap's rising!" A picture book that pays tribute to the spirit and traditions of rural New England and a reminder of the very real values found on family farms. A father, his two sons, and one dog set off at dawn to the sugar bush to begin the process of making syrup. Nan Rossiter paints the action so that it is both personal and factual; we see the entire family involved--Mom preparing the meals, Dad steering the big John Deere tractor through the fields, and the two sons, Seth and Ethan, learning how to steer, collecting the buckets, and replacing them on the spouts and, of course, the loyal hound, Chloe, trotting along for the ride. Everyone participates in the hard work hauling the buckets full of sap to the holding tank and also in the fun work reducing forty gallons of sap to one gallon of syrup in a big evaporator in the steamy sugarhouse. And, of course, testing and tasting the syrup. Continually. Lovingly illustrated and infused with the lucid light of early Spring, this is a picture book you'll love to share.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1567923704
• ISBN13: 9781567923704
• Release Date: March 2011
• Publisher: David R. Godine Publisher
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 7.8" x 9.9"
• Age Range: 4 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

A PLEASING READ.

This is one of those works that I classify as a very nice little read and is certainly worthwhile, but at the same time, can not get overly excited about it. I not the kids, while they enjoy it, do not go back and give it a second read as they do so many books. That being said though.... This is a rather simple story of a family in Vermont, a modern family, harvesting the sap of the Maple tree during sugaring time. The interaction between the husband, wife and tow young boys is quite good and the story line, while uncomplicated...to the point of being a bit simplistic, is good and you get a warm fuzzy feeling as you read the story. The book does give a very nice overview of the sugaring process as would be found on a family farm. We are not talking the high tech gathering methods of today, but then we are not in the nostalgic mode that we would fine in Little House in the Big Woods either. The strongest part of this work are the illustrations which are very well and professionally executed. I suppose I enjoyed the paintings of the various forms of wildlife noted in the forest during sap gathering times as much as anything. The author is an excellent artist and has captured the mood of the story and place perfectly though her illustrations. The text is quite well done and easy on the eye and mind. It tells a warm story of a family cooperating together...getting a job done as a loving family unit. This is always a good message. The author concludes the work by recording a Native American legend as to how it was discovered that the sap of the Sugar Maple Tree is a good thing. My biggest fear concerning this work is the possibility of not holding the interest of the target age. There is little to no excitement here, no conflict and the plot runs on a sort of flat line. While the adult reader will find it a pleasing read, I am not at all sure if the kids will. On the other hand, it is a quick read; a well written and illustrated work, and is certainly worth the time it takes to read and study the painting. It also teaches kids where their maple syrup comes from...i.e. from trees and hard work, and not off the supermarket shelf. Recommend this one for a nice mellow read. Don Blankenship The Ozarks