This straightforward account of maple syrup making is told in first person by a boy of about seven. He and his grandfather drill holes, tap in spiles (spouts driven into the trees), hang pails, and collect sap, which is duly boiled down to make maple syrup over the course of days. While working in, and travelling to, the sugar bush, the boy and his grandfather see squirrels, deer, a porcupine, and many birds. Small details provide authenticity, such as the fact that holes are drilled on the southeast side of the trees since this is the side that first warms in the spring. At the end of the book, the boy and his grandfather serve pancakes topped with their own maple syrup to the boy’s grandmother.

Margaret Carney’s text is clearly written, and beginning readers will find this an easy book to read aloud. Some children may wonder why this enjoyable work is done by the boy and his grandfather alone. This is a reasonable question, because sugaring off requires round-the-clock attention and often attracts willing assistants. They may also wonder (as I do) why Grandmother, who looks quite young and is not obviously disabled, does not visit the sugar bush even once. But these are minor questions.

Janet Wilson’s illustrations are worked in oils that often blend as softly as pastels. She varies her perspectives, from close-up to wide-angle, above and below, in an almost cinematic way. Her shadings of light on snow are particularly fine. The illustrations do much to enliven the book.

This is an extremely Canadian work, not only for its content, but also because it is competent, earnest and a bit boring. In spite of that, At Grandpa’s Sugar Bush will be a Useful Book in spring, when it is time to explain sugaring off to children, and a Useful Book to send to relatives in other countries who seek a taste of something uniquely Canadian.