Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of Blueberries for Sal

Blueberries for Sal
Blueberries for Sal
Author: Robert McCloskey
PBS Market Price: $8.09 or $4.19+1 credit
ISBN-13: 9780140501698
ISBN-10: 014050169X
Publication Date: 9/30/1976
Pages: 64
Reading Level: Ages 4-8
Rating:
  • Currently 4.3/5 Stars.
 109

4.3 stars, based on 109 ratings
Publisher: Puffin Books
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

22 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

stormi413 avatar reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I ordered this book for my 4 year old daughter and she loves it!! My 7 year old loves it also--they ask for it to be read to them almost everynight.....very cute story line and an enjoyable book--even for mom!! It never gets old.
theresapus avatar reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 43 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A really fun story of 2 mothers who get their babies mixed up! Great read for kids! Robert McCloskey's illustrations are just beautiful!
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 115 more book reviews
this book is adorable! a classic.
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 34 more book reviews
Famed author Robert McCloskey ("Make Way for Ducklings," "One Morning in Maine," and others) wrote and illustrated this gently humorous parallel tale of two moms and their daughters on a blueberry hunt. One pair is human, and the other pair is bear!. As they proceed up opposite sides of rolling hill covered in blueberries, each member of the species copies the other: The moms focus on the task at hand, remembering the harsh winter ahead; the children ("Little Sal" and "Little Bear") focus on the immediate pleasures of eating blueberries--so much so, that each gets lost.

In a deftly portrayed switch, McCloskey shows the Little Bear following Little Sal's mom, and Little Sal following the Little Bear's mom. The two lost children are unafraid of following the mismatched grown-ups (ok, so McCloskey takes some liberties in this very light book). Eventually the two moms turn around and see who is following: Little Bear's mother discovers Sal and turns away: ("She was old enough to be shy of people, even a very small person like Little Sal.") Meanwhile, Little Sal's mom discovers Little Bear, and the mother back away: ("She was old enough to be shy of bears, even very small bears like Little Bear.") Each pair reunites and returns home, with an adventure and berries to savor over the winter.

McCloskey's deep blue-black drawings complement the appealing symmetry and innocence of the book, and the period furnishings, uncluttered landscape, and fashions add to the book's sentimental and enduring attraction. This is a very good bedtime story for little ones who can appreciate an affectionate and tender book.
beegirlbee avatar reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 68 more book reviews
We like this classic... a sweet story, with just enough suspense for 5 and under! Great book!
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on
A wonderful classic to hold on to, this story is good for most any young age. I have a 7 year old who loves it just as much as the 2 year old that I babysit for.
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 2 more book reviews
A beautiful text with lovely illustrations. A "must have" for every child's library of classics.
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 95 more book reviews
Beautiful story that my children love to hear over and over again.
SouthernChelz avatar reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 216 more book reviews
sweet book for little kids. It is an excellent book to read aloud to your children and grandchildren. It is about a boy out picking berries for his mom and it shows a baby bear doing the same for his mom.
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 32 more book reviews
A children's classic, a Caldecott Honor Book.
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 10 more book reviews
good book kids love it
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 55 more book reviews
What a great book! Well-loved by several generations, Blueberies for Sal is a classic.
angelacisco avatar reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 27 more book reviews
Caldecott Honor Book!
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 55 more book reviews
very cute book. Used in before five in a row homeschool curriculum
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 1217 more book reviews
Caldecott Honor Winner.
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 3352 more book reviews
A cute pre-schoolers picture story about a mama and her little girl and a bear and her little cub. Black and white illustrations
homeschoolkitty avatar reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 5 more book reviews
It is a very clever story, great graphics. but if you are reading to little ones you'll have to have a talk about what real bears can do to a little kid.
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on
This is one of our new favorites!
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 4 more book reviews
A great story that my children love to listen to over and over again.
TheSampleLady avatar reviewed Blueberries for Sal on
This book is a must-have for any preschooler's bookshelf. McCloskey uses simple language to convey a timeless tale for many generations of readers. My daughters and I all loved the story, and will read it again and again.
reviewed Blueberries for Sal on
My 3 year old loves this book!
emeraldmagick avatar reviewed Blueberries for Sal on + 31 more book reviews
Our neighbors Helen and Mike (second grandparents really) had five blueberry bushes while we were growing up. Sometimes we would pick blueberries with them and sometimes we get a bowlful after Helen had given her family their share. To this day, they are still my favorite fruit :)

Story: four stars
Narrator: 5 stars


Actual rating 4.5 stars all around <3

A short book but a wonderful and cute story. The narrator does a great job with the different voices of everyone in the story. A couple moments made me laugh, but the whole time it made me smile and remember the fun I had picking my own (and time I got stung on the lip because I didn't know a bee had flown in the bush).

Funny thing... this story seemed somewhat familiar the whole time. I'm thinking perhaps I had read this before or had it read to me? Possible... shame I can't remember.

Would recommend for all ages :)Happy reading!

The audiobook download is fairly cheap on ITunes, splurge for that if you can :) It adds an extra element to the experience methinks.