Tag: seasons

Caramel reviews Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha

Today Caramel is reviewing a beautiful book by Mark Shasha: Night of the Moonjellies, originally published in 1992. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Caramel reviews Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha.
Caramel reviews Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha.

Sprinkles: So Caramel, for your last review before we take some time off for the summer, you chose to talk about this book. 

Caramel: Well, you told me that summer officially starts on June 21 this year and told me we should talk about a summer book. I thought this would work well. 

S: Yeah, this is a very nice picture book about the summer season. 

C: Apparently, it is not even fully fiction! This book is about the author’s life. He is telling us things that have or might have happened when he was a kid. 

S: Yeah, it might be a bit nostalgic then. Do you know what nostalgic means?

C: Yeah, it means a thing that evokes a sense of remembering a good thing? 

S: Yeah, there is a feeling of sadness, about missing the past. The book is about a time that the author experienced as a child. So it is something he remembers fondly, from his past. 

C: That makes sense. The book is about his family when he was growing up in Connecticut. His grandma, his uncle, his aunt, all his family are running a hot dog stand together, and he finds a moon jellyfish on the beach, and his grandma tells him to put it in a bag with water, so it doesn’t die. And then he tells us about his day. They make food for customers, and it is really busy. 

S: And the boy is always helping out and kind of cheerful, right? 

C: Yeah, he seems like a nice kid. And he seems like he really enjoys working together with his family and helping them out. All of them know what they need to do and they do it. 

Caramel is reading Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha.
Caramel is reading Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha.

S: Cool! But the book is titled “Night of the Moonjellies” so eventually we should get to the night, right?

C: Yeah, at night his grandma takes him on a kind fisherman’s boat, and they release the moon jellyfish, and they see the ocean glow from the jellies; they make the night sea sparkle and look so pretty.

S: Yes! I think that how the jellies came together to make the ocean so pretty is kind of like how the boy and his family worked all day together in harmony to make something good happen. 

C: Yeah. I didn’t think of that, but it makes sense. 

S: Kind of like, my family and I, together we make something neat, and the jellies, they make something neat with their families, too. 

C: Yeah, I can see that. But I think even without making a connection like that, I am sure the sea must have looked awesome! 

S: Yeah, one would probably not forget such a sight. 

C: Yeah, if I saw such a thing, it would be so cool! I’d definitely remember it forever, too. 

S: Do you remember something like that? Have you ever seen something in nature that awed you? That moved you so deeply? 

C: No, I don’t think so, but it would have been cool.

S: Actually I remember you seeing something and being that awed. Some years ago, we were in Japan. We were so lucky to be there during the cherry blossom season. And you were a tiny little bunny, but your awe, your thrill, your joy were all so visible. 

C: Oh, wait, I do remember that, how did I not remember that?

S: Well, maybe you were trying to think of experiences on the ocean. Or anything during the summer. The cherry blossoms were very much in the spring. And they were so beautiful! You definitely remember them now, right?

C: Yep. That’s why I think I didn’t come up with it immediately. But yeah, the cherry blossoms were so beautiful.. 

S: We don’t get to have too many such experiences. Sometimes beautiful things just happen and we don’t see them. We are too busy, too distracted. But when they do happen and you witness them, it is important to take note. I hope you will always remember the cherry blossoms. 

C: Yeah, I will try. I’ll try to never forget.

S: Okay, Caramel, so do you think this is a good time to wrap up our review?

C: Sure. 

S: So what do you want to say to our readers then?

C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha and is totally ready for the summer!
Caramel enjoyed reading Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha and is totally ready for the summer!

Caramel reviews Sugarbush Spring by Marsha Wilson Chall and Jim Daly

Today Caramel picked up a beautiful picture book originally published in 2000: Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly. As usual, Sprinkles is taking notes and asking questions.

Caramel reviews Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly.
Caramel reviews Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly.

Sprinkles: It is almost spring here, the spring equinox is tonight, and so today we are talking about a book about spring, right Caramel? 

Caramel: Yep. We are.

S: But this is a spring that is quite different from the ones we are used to here where we live, right? 

C: Yeah it is still snowy there and we almost never get much snow. 

S: I know, right? Seasons are different all around the world. And we are in the northern hemisphere, so when it is our spring, it is fall in the southern hemisphere. So even more different.

C: Yes, Sprinkles. You said it is almost spring here, and yet in Australia, for example, that is not correct. 

S: I know, right? It is pretty cool actually. That we live all around this planet, and we experience quite a lot of different things, and yet, we all experience seasons in some ways. So the spring in this book is what kind of a spring?

C: Well, there is still snow on the ground, but during the day it is above freezing.

S: That is quite different from where we are, right? Here, we almost never go below freezing. 

C: Yeah, it does not ever get too cold here, at all.

S: Yet, Marshmallow is always cold when it is just a bit cooler than usual. 

C: Yeah, it is very funny.

S: I think it is funny because I have lived in places which got a lot colder than here, but also she does not always think about wearing warmer clothes to keep warm. Then again, neither do you. You would go out with shorts and sandals every day if you had your way. 

C: That is not funny.

S: Okay, I see how things are. When it is Marshmallow, we can make fun of her, but when it is you, oh, it is not funny anymore?

C: Yep, it was only funny when it happened to Marshmallow.

S: Okay, let us not make fun of anyone then. I think people (and bunnies too of course) get used to where they have been living for a while, and so they notice the changes in the weather where they live even if they are not big changes in comparison to other places. So let us get back to Sugarbush Spring.

C: Yes, let’s. That way at least I won’t be insulted.

S: I was not trying to insult you; I was only teasing. I am sorry.

Caramel is reading Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly.
Caramel is reading Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly.

S: Okay, back to Sugarbush Spring. So this story must be about somewhere in the northeast of the United States, or maybe Canada, right? 

C: Yeah, they are making maple syrup, and it says that they are in Canada.

S: Cool! Tell me more. 

C: When it is time, when it is no longer freezing during the day, they go to a tree and they take some sap from the tree and make some maple syrup from it and at the end they make candy from the syrup. 

S: That is cool! Did you know that is how they make maple syrup?

C: Yes I did, but this book has lots of cool pictures showing exactly how they go through the full  process of making maple syrup. 

S: Of course, you are a little bunny who really knows a lot of things. But you are right, the pictures in this book are quite instructive. But they are not like textbook pictures. 

C: Yes, they are very colorful and they are relatively detailed and very pretty.

S: Also quite realistic. I mean they almost look like photos. 

C: Yeah. and it is fun to look at them. The details are neat. I especially liked how they made the candy in the end. 

S: Of course! Maple syrup candy must taste so good. I have never had one but I can imagine. 

C: I bet it tastes even better when you watch it being made. Hmm, now I want some maple syrup candy. 

S: Unfortunately we do not have any at home Caramel. And we do not have any maple trees to make maple syrup, either. 

C: I know it is kind of sad. But I guess that is why it is good we can find some of those things in the supermarket. Though I am not sure if I ever saw maple syrup candy at the store… Hmm… 

S: I am sure there is a benefit to having access to a sugar bush. According to Wikipedia, that means a collection of maple trees used to make maple syrup. 

C: Yeah, it sure would be cool. And I see now, that is why the book is called Sugarbush Spring. It is spring and they will make maple syrup from the sugar bush.

S: Good catch, Caramel! That makes total sense. 

C: Yep, I’m so smart, aren’t I?

S: Yes, you are! So maybe this is a good time to wrap up this review. If you were to summarize this book in three to five words, what would you say?

C: Hmm, let me think. Colorful springtime with maple syrup.

S: That works! So that is it then. What do you want to tell our readers?

C: Happy Spring Equinox! And stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!

Caramel enjoyed reading Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly, and recommends it to all little bunnies who are curious about spring time in other places, and all those who love maple syrup.
Caramel enjoyed reading Sugarbush Spring, written by Marsha Wilson Chall and illustrated by Jim Daly, and recommends it to all little bunnies who are curious about spring time in other places, and all those who love maple syrup.