Applesauce Needs Sugar

by Victoria Case, Reisie Lonette (Illustrator)

The warm and witty memoirs of big family life on a small Canadian farm at the turn of the century

Genres: Fiction

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[MaryLou Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book was written in 1946 and is the warm and witty memoirs of a big family living on a small Canadian farm at the turn of the century. "Mamma never prayed for anything she could get by her own efforts, or anything we could go without, and even now she didn't pray for bacon or money or fresh mean, or even milk to put on our mush, but she prayed for sugar." It took me a couple of year to track down a copy of this book and it is now a cherished item in my book collection!

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
I liked this book. I expected to love it, but I didn’t. It’s a book that I have wanted to read for a very long time but prices have not been conducive to my budget. I was able to get it through interlibrary loan last week. It’s a lovely enough book, and I love books of this theme. But, I didn’t find it as engaging as say The Little House Books, Caddie Woodlawn, or Little Britches. I really wanted to get to know the characters better and the writing felt choppy to me. I’m glad I finally got the opportunity to read it though.

[Shiloah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the first book I've ever almost completely identified with the protagonist...all the way down to the number of children she had. There were so many lessons in this book it would make a great read aloud. This is now a classic for our home.

[Alyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was given to me by a neighbor, with whom I'd recently been discussing favorite books. It was one of her favorites and she thought I'd like to try it. I'm glad she brought it by my house because I'm sure I would never have heard of it if she hadn't.

The book,first published in 1952, is about a family coming out of the great depression. It shows the power of a mother and her influence, not only in the home but on the community. Each chapter was a story itself. I very much enjoyed it and appreciated the recommendation. This book was delightful to read.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after A Finger in Every Pie and found this one easier to put down for long stretches. Not that it wasn't interesting but rather because it is like vignettes, each chapter a small snippet of life. So in that sense it was easy to pick up, read a little, get pulled away, repeat. At least half of it takes place in Southwest Canada. I really like the main character and the little stories about her day to day life as a mother and wife. It was particularly interesting because it is written during a time when women were equivalent, in the eyes of society, to babies or adults with the intellectual level of babies. So for a smart and skilled woman like this mother she had to be creative with how she utilized all those skills in a world that wasn't accepting of it from women. I also really liked how her husband is portrayed as equally intelligent and a partner to her while also the provider. It was a very pleasant read about what life might have been like for a large family in the early 1900s. I didn't expect the last chapter to lead to Oregon, the setting for A Finger in Every Pie.

[Beth Starr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun read. It reminds me a little of Cheaper by the Dozen with the fun and quirkiness of a big family, but in this story Mama is a force to be reckoned with.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent family read aloud!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't the most beautifully written or cohesive but it's still entertaining and I love it for the history and strength of people shown, especially women.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Canadian newlyweds try to make their way during the depression in the late 19th century. They start from Ontario, go to Texas then end up in Victoria. The book consists of a collection of short stories published in the 1940's. Not as fun as I had hoped. The wife wasn't the most pleasant of characters (IMO) but I enjoyed reading about early days in my old stomping grounds of Victoria.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun period piece. It reminded me of Little House on the Prairie from an older perspective. I admired the main character and appreciated that she was as deeply flawed as the rest of us. Slice of life stories like this one remind me that we need to ask our parents and grandparents and other older relatives for their funny and memorable stories.

[Charlotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. It's a good book for figuring out that you can do things even if they see impossible. It's probably good for any age, but as an adult, it's inspiring.

5/27/2024 I lowered my review to 3 stars. I still like this book and a I think the mom is incredible, but I don't love some of it and so I lowered my rating.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

For those who read and enjoyed Laura Ingalls Wilder books, this will touch off a bout of nostalgia for a time where hard work and moral fiber were attributes for the strong, not characteristics of the less clever

[Esther May · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great bunch of stories about a strong woman who lives through some hard times. I enjoyed seeing how she made it through. It was a quick, good, fun read and I think that some of the stories have changed me a little. At least I hope they have.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gobbled this book down in one day. It was an easy fun entertaining read. True story of a family from Canada living in the turn of the century trying to make ends meet with a very large family.

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books. Features a stellar mother.