The Sugaring Off Party [Paperback]

Jonathan London (Author), Gilles Pelletier (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2006 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

A French-Canadian grandmother reminisces about her first sugaring-off party, complete with music, dancing, and lots of food. The primitive-style pictures are lush and colourful.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tapping into the experiences of his wife's French-Canadian family, London (Let's Go, Froggy; The Owl Who Became the Moon) infuses this tale with warmth and authenticity. Paul snuggles on the sofa with Grand-mere and hears the story of her first sugaring-off party-a fete celebrating the spring flow of sap from the maple trees. London, with a poet's sensitivity for nuance and atmosphere, captures in prose the very essence of happy family rituals. Grand-mere tells of snow fights, vats of sap boiling on the wood stove, rich food, dancing, ornery cousins and sleigh rides. "You must come back next year," Grand-mere recalls being told by a favorite aunt. "It's a tradition, n'est-ce pas? And we must keep our traditions alive." This sweet appeal is echoed in Pelletier's distinctive folk art. Using thick, glowing oils to build detailed compositions, the artist evokes the merriment and innocent mischief of a finger-licking good time. Ages 3-7.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4?The day before Paul's first maple-sugaring party, he asks his grandmother to tell him about her first sugaring-off, long ago. Grand-mere describes the family's sleigh journey to Tante Loulou's sugar bush, the songs and games, the feasting and dancing, and the delicious maple syrup candy. London's evocative text perfectly re-creates the thrill and excitement of this coming-of-spring ritual. Pelletier's folk-art paintings, reminiscent of Grandma Moses's work, match the nostalgic tone of this story set in Canada. Children will enjoy the bright colors and pore over the details, but they may question why young Grand-mere, who describes herself as "tiny," is the same size as her older sisters. A glossary at the end of the book defines the French-Canadian terms and gives pronunciations (though place names and words used in the illustrations are not included). Kathryn Lasky's Sugaring Time (Macmillan, 1983) and Diane Burns's Sugaring Season (Carolrhoda, 1990) are for older readers and concentrate on the mechanics of the maple-syrup process. The Sugaring-Off Party is a joyful celebration.?Ann W. Moore, Guilderland Public Library, NY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Fitzhenry and Whiteside; 1 edition (February 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550415964
• ISBN-13: 978-1550415964
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 10.8 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,045,521 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jonathan London is a poet and the author of a number of picture books including the Froggy Series. He lives with his wife and two sons in Graton, California. Frank Remkiewicz has illustrated posters, greeting cards, the Animal Crackers box and numerous books for children. He lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife and three daughters.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A rare find indeed!, July 9, 2009

By 

Jennifer Bogart "@ Quiverfullfamily.com" (Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sugaring Off Party (Paperback)

Most children's picture books that are set in Quebec or depict Quebecois culture are written in French. While searching for a children's picture book written in English to introduce my children to Quebec through literature, I kept coming up empty. Textbook style works describing Quebec's culture, geography, economy etc. are widely available, but a living, breathing experience of Quebec as found in story was nigh impossible to find. That's one reason why The Sugaring-Off Party by Jonathan London is such a treasure.

As Paul and his grandmother reflect upon the upcoming sugaring-off party, they snuggle together in front of the fireplace as she shares her reminiscences of the first such party - a cabane a sucre - that she attended as a small girl.

"Every March for many, many years, the family has driven out to a maple sugaring in the country. But tomorrow will be Paul's very first time."

London brings the party to life with interspersed French phrases, snippets of song, and the exquisite anticipation of a newly experienced family tradition. The child-like delight found in each new aspect of the party, from the horse drawn journey to the sugar shack, the gathering of the syrup, and the resulting celebration held my little ones enthralled throughout the book.

A sense of anticipation grows with each passing page as Paul's grandmother, her siblings, cousins and other children eagerly await the grand finale of the party. Once la tire (a sweet taffy that is the result of pouring, thick, sticky maple syrup onto fresh snow) is served in a delicious climax, the eager mood is replaced with the satisfaction, security, and belonging that are birthed from the participation in a time-honored tradition.

A helpful reference page at the book's end includes a glossary that defines the commonly sprinkled French words found throughout the text, the origins of the phrase `sugar moon', and the French and English lyrics for the first verse of "Alouette".

My children were equally surprised and intrigued to find the loving grandmother referring to her grandson as "mon petit chou", my little cabbage. My husband and I were both surprised to find that this traditional song - which many commit to memory in childhood without understanding its meaning - details the rather explicit, and somewhat taunting plucking of a lark.

Illustrated by Gilles Pelletier, the bold, saturated colours are reminiscent of folk-art. Executed in dense, opaque oils in a warmly inviting palette, each picture breathes anticipation and excitement. Simple forms, figures and shapes fill each page to the brim, creating riotous scenes filled with activity, life and joy. Each painted scene is broad, capturing landscape, central and peripheral characters, and all manners of detail in the surroundings.

The inclusion of such detail in each illustration draws readers into the pictures. The Sugaring-Off Party is best read slowly, each page lingered over in order to allow the necessary time to visually gather in the many events that are taking place within each page.

Serving up timeless Quebecois culture and traditions, a hands-on perspective of simple maple syrup/sugar production, and a glimpse into Canada's past The Sugaring-Off Party will engage and delight all who peruse it.

4.0 out of 5 stars Adorable Book, April 9, 2010

By 

Susan C. Melanson "Sue Chapman Melanson" (South Hiram, Maine) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Sugaring-Off Party (Hardcover)

We have a maple sugaring operation and it has been fun to have a story about this time of year. It is my goal to have a bunch of kids books available for my grandchildren for each season. Christmas is easy, but maple season is harder to find.