Blueberries for the Queen [Hardcover]

Katherine Paterson (Author), John Paterson (Author), Susan Jeffers (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

In 1942 Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, living in exile after the Nazi invasion of her country, spent the summer in Lee, Massachusetts, with her daughter and granddaughters. The following is based on a true story....

It’s summertime in New England during World War II, and a boy named William likes to imagine at bedtime that he is a brave knight fighting great battles to end the war. But in the morning he is always just William again, not big enough to contribute to the war effort like the rest of his family.

Then a real queen moves in just down the road: Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. William’s parents explain that the queen has been forced out of her country because of the war. Now William has his chance to do something. It may not be “war work” -- it’s more like peace work -- but that makes all the difference.

Susan Jeffers’s dramatic illustrations portray the compelling contrast between William’simagination and the real events in the story, which are based on an actual incident in John Paterson’s childhood. Visually stunning, with an evocative, poignant telling, this is the picture-book art form at its finest.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3–It's 1942 and William's mom has just confirmed that a real queen has moved into an estate near their New England farm. Much to his older brother's amusement, William imagines the woman doing her errands in cape and gown. He also frets over his inability to contribute anything to the war effort, so when Dad suggests that picking blueberries is equally important as "peace work," William decides to try and chase some of the queen's worries away by presenting her with a basket of his most impressive berries. A kind lady (Princess Juliana of the Netherlands) invites him into the house and agrees that he should meet the queen. The grandmotherly woman (Queen Wilhelmina) is not what William expected, but he is delighted with the gracious reception he receives and returns home bursting with excitement. Based on John Paterson's actual experience (described in a historical note), this lengthy picture book draws a rather romanticized vision of farm life in the '40s and presents a hopeful story that mitigates the despairing events of the times. The banter between William and his supercilious older brother rings a bit more true than Dad's homespun philosophizing, but the innocence and naïveté of the place and time shine through. Jeffers's watercolor-and-ink illustrations perfectly juxtapose scenes of domestic reality with the boy's wistful daydreams of knights and heroic quests. Pair this earnest tale with Shulamith Levey Oppenheim's The Lily Cupboard (HarperTrophy, 1995) as they both share the same time period and rural locale, but are two fascinatingly diverse experiences set on opposite sides of the Atlantic.–Carol Ann Wilson, Westfield Memorial Library, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 3. In the summer of 1942, William learns that World War II has forced Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands to move to an estate near his New England home. He longs to see a real queen and fanaticizes about meeting her, but his only sighting is a glimpse of her limousine. When he decides to be neighborly and take her a basket of fresh-picked blueberries, he finds himself presenting the berries to the queen herself. This literary tale began as a Paterson family story; the appended note explains that John Paterson met Queen Wilhelmina under similar circumstances in 1942. Jeffers' skilled pencil drawings, brightened with color washes, contrast John's dreams of himself as a knight in armor and the queen in medieval robes with scenes of New England in the 1940s. Though the interplay of medieval dreams and twentieth-century reality seems forced at times, this unusual picture book will satisfy many children with its pleasing story and artwork. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (June 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0066239427
• ISBN-13: 978-0066239422
• Product Dimensions: 11.7 x 9.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #197,207 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, November 14, 2005

By 

Coastal Cat (Bay area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blueberries for the Queen (Hardcover)

Here's why my boys (ages 5 and 7) and I loved this book: (1) its imaginative illustrations really capture the child's perspective; (2) in a very gentle way, it touches on WWII and an interesting historical footnote -- what a great jumping off point for more family discussion (if your kids are ready) on WWII and how it affected everyday Americans; (3) its charm: we love how William thinks the Queen is cleverly disguised as a Grandma; (4) How cool is it that the book's based on a true story? And it's a good story! In an age of predictable, formulaic children's fare, it's books like this that restore my faith that there are people out there who care about presenting children with quality storylines, and who respect children's intelligence.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely story, October 14, 2004

By 

Camille "at the BookMoot!" (Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Blueberries for the Queen (Hardcover)

This is a true family story from John and Katherine Paterson. In 1942 everyone in William's family is helping with the war effort on the homefront. William dreams of helping as a brave knight but his older brother chides him for being too young. When the news arrives that Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands has moved in down the road, he tries to imagine what a real queen looks like and acts like. The royal family had to flee from Holland when the Germans invaded the country. The fruits and vegetables in the summer garden grow and William finds a way to do "peace work" and touch the heart of Queen Wilhelmina and her family. Susan Jeffers illustrations are beautiful and carry the reader through the story. This is a book and a story that any age will enjoy.

5.0 out of 5 stars Imaginative and Beautifully Illustrated, March 29, 2011

By 

Mary Anne H. (Indiana) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Blueberries for the Queen (Hardcover)

I love that this book is told from the visual perspective of the young boy it is about. The beautiful illustrations intertwine reality and the boy's imaginings. Best of all, it's based on a true story. A little long for younger kids, but a family favorite in our house!