Blueberries For Sal is an illustrated children’s book written by Robert McCloskey. It was published in 1948 and won the Caldecott Honor Book Award in 1949. Despite being over seventy years old, chances are you or someone who know has heard of and read this book due to the book’s continued success. Blueberries For Sal was ranked number 13 among the “Top 100 Picture Books” in a 2009 survey published by School Library Journal with a library journal starred review and continues to be highly revered.
Keep reading for a fun look at everything you’ve ever wanted to know about this beloved classic children’s story!
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Blueberries For Sal by Robert McCloskey
Reading Age 3-8
What happens when Sal and her mother meet a bear and her cub?
Full Official Synopsis:
Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk! Sal and her mother are picking blueberries to can for the winter. But when Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill, she discovers a mama bear preparing for her own long winter. Meanwhile Sal’s mother is being followed by a small bear with a big appetite for berries! Will each mother go home with the right little one?
About The Author
Robert McCloskey (1914 – 2003) wrote and illustrated some of the most honored and enduring children’s books ever published. He grew up in Hamilton, Ohio, and spent time in Boston, New York, and ultimately Maine, where he and his wife raised their two daughters. The first ever two-time Caldecott Medal winner, for Make Way for Ducklings and Time of Wonder, McCloskey was also awarded Caldecott Honors for Blueberries for Sal, One Morning in Maine, and Journey Cake, Ho! by Ruth Sawyer. He was declared a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2000. You can see some of his best-loved characters immortalized as statues in Boston’s Public Garden and Lentil Park in Hamilton, Ohio.
Our Review of Blueberries For Sal
One bright summer day, Sal and her mother go to Blueberry Hill to pick blueberries. But instead of collecting the berries in her bucket, Sal eats them. As she sits and eats, Sal doesn’t pay attention to her mother who is getting farther away as Mom continues to pick berries.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Blueberry Hill, we meet a mother bear and her cub. They are also eating blueberries. The cub gets tired and decides to sit while eating. As the cub eats, he doesn’t pay attention to his mother who is getting farther away as she continues to walk and eat at the same time.
When Sal and the bear club finish eating, their mothers are nowhere in sight. Sal and Little Bear make an effort to find their mothers, but they end up following the wrong one. Eventually, both mothers realize what has happened and they find the right child.
What I love most about this book is how simple yet endearing the story is. The author manages to pack such a heartwarming and wholesome story into so few words. Getting a little lost is such a common and innocent thing kids do, it’s easy to understand how this book managed to stand the test of time and still be relevant today. It’s also a good reminder to parents to pay attention to what our kids are doing! And who can forget the beautiful illustrations of the sea and pine covered Maine countryside. Each two-page spread is a work of art and reason enough to keep a copy on your shelves.
Blueberries For Sal Read Aloud
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What grade level is Blueberries for Sal?
A: The reading level is for grades 1 – 7
Q: Where does Blueberries for Sal take place?
A: On a hill in Maine.
Q: Where in Maine did McCloskey live?
A: Hancock, Maine where he moved to with his wife Peggy after serving in World War II.
Q: Is Sal a boy or a girl?
A: Sal is a little girl.
Did You Know…
McCloskey modeled Sal and Sal’s mother after his own daughter Sally and wife Peggy. One Morning In Maine is the sequel to Blueberries For Sal and introduces Sal’s father and little sister.
Have you read Blueberries For Sal? Let us know in the comments below.
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