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Bear Goes Sugaring

Author Maxwell Eaton, III

Hardcover

$18.99 US

Holiday House | Neal Porter Books

8.81"W x 11.25"H x 0.35"D | 14 oz | 24 per carton

On sale Jan 07, 2020 | 32 Pages | 9780823444489

Age 4-8 years | Preschool - 3

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Learn how to make syrup the old fashioned way with the help of a friendly bear and her amusingly unhelpful accomplices Dog and Squirrel in this informative comics-style picture book.

Did you know that it takes forty gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup? "How many pancakes can I eat with that gallon?" wonders Dog.

Every step of the process of making maple syrup is covered in this sweet (but never saccharine) informational picture book by Maxwell Eaton III, the creator of the popular "Truth About" series. It begins with Bear assembling the tools she'll need for the project, continues with a discussion of the types of maples found in the area and why sugar maples are best for tapping, then on to drilling, tapping, evaporation and at the end of the process, real maple syrup and best of all, PANCAKES!

Along the way there are hilarious asides from increasingly ravenous Dog and Squirrel, making this a book as funny as it is informative. Helpful back matter and suggestions for further reading complete the package.

A Junior Library Guild Selection

★ "Even as Eaton folds in lots of information, diagrams, and solid vocabulary ('spiles,' 'brace,' 'sugarbush'), the antics of Bear's two sidekicks—Squirrel and Dog—will keep readers in stitches and turning pages and learning a lot about the process of maple sugaring. . . . Readers are sure to request both rereads and pancakes. . . and maybe a few spiles and buckets of their own."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

★ "Watercolor and pencil illustrations by Eaton (the Truth About series) illustrations have a cheery, get-’er-done orderliness, efficiently conveying a wealth of information with comics-style panels, cinematic framing, text callouts, and just the right number of comic asides from Bear’s peanut gallery." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

★ "This cheery title will serve equally well as a humorously cartooned winter idyll or an actual guide book with suggestions on how to accomplish a smaller scale production. Then regardless of choice—aspirational or practical—there must, of course, be pancakes."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred Review

"This dynamic title succeeds in showcasing the complexity, can-do spirit, and fun behind 'maple syrup splendor.' "—The Horn Book

"The text describes the process of sugaring from beginning to end: when to tap maple trees, the tools needed for gathering sap, and the steps it takes to turn sap into delicious syrup. . . . The drawings act as a visual aid, especially if sugaring is new to readers. Humorous commentary from Bear’s friends Squirrel and Dog may reflect what readers are thinking throughout the story. . . . a great teaching resource for science curricula about trees and seasons"—School Library Journal

"A wonderfully specific book that will delight the right readers, especially in maple syrup territory of the Northeast and Midwest."—Booklist

Maxwell Eaton writes and illustrates The Truth About series, Seriously Funny Facts About Your Favorite Animals. This series includes The Truth About Dolphins, The Truth About Hippos, The Truth About Elephants and The Truth About Bears which received multiple starred reviews. He lives in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State.