Blueberries for Sal

AUTHOR: Robert McCloskey
ILLUSTRATOR: Robert McCloskey

From the Publisher:

What happens when Sal and her mother meet a mother bear and her cub? A Caldecott Honor Book!

Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk! Sal and her mother a 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?

With its expressive line drawings and charming story, Blueberries for Sal has won readers’ hearts since its first publication in 1948.


“The adventures of a little girl and a baby bear while hunting for blueberries with their mothers one bright summer day. All the color and flavor of the sea and pine-covered Maine countryside.”—School Library Journal, starred review.

Leah’s Thoughts:

I have the fondest memories of my mom reading this one to me as a child, and every time I pick it up, I’m back in that moment. The rhythmic “kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk” has stuck with me for decades, and now my own boys love it just as much. This book feels like summer in your hands: warm, timeless, and full of charm.