Time for Cranberries

by Lisl H. Detlefsen, Jed Henry (Illustrator)

Sam is finally old enough to help his parents harvest cranberries on their family farm in Wisconsin, from flooding the field to prepare the vines for the picking machine to delivering the fruit to receiving station. Includes recipes for cranberry sauce and cranberry pie, author's note, and glossary.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Thanksgiving, Food, Childrens, Nature, 2nd Grade

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

Lisl H. Detlefsen lives on a cranberry marsh near Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, with her husband and two sons. She writes while she watches wildlife wander past her office window. Her favorite part of the year is when it's time for harvest.

Lisl is represented by agent Jennifer Mattson of Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam is excited to finally be allowed to participate in the cranberry harvest on his family's Wisconsin farm in this engaging autumn picture-book. He and his parents work hard, spending a few weeks gathering and cleaning the fruit, before taking it to the receiving station. Eventually, when Thanksgiving comes, he gets to enjoy his mother's cranberry pie...

Pairing an engaging and informative narrative from author Lisl H. Detlefsen, who lives on a cranberry marsh in Wisconsin, with colorful autumn-hued illustrations from illustrator Jed Henry, Time for Cranberries is an appealing seasonal picture-book. Although my family enjoys cranberry sauce at both Thanksgiving and Christmas, I don't think I have ever had cranberry pie, so I was intrigued by that holiday treat, and appreciated the fact that recipes for both cranberry sauce and pie are included at the rear. Recommended to picture-book readers looking for autumn titles and/or stories about cranberry harvesting. Given the glut of pumpkin-related titles at this time of year, it's nice to see another autumn staple get some attention!

[Destiny Leskovac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time for Cranberries is an educational story that immerses children into the process of harvesting cranberries. The illustrations are helpful in explaining the process to children and is even told through the eyes of a little boy during his first year of harvest. A glossary in the back of the book offers clear clarification for children on the harvesting tools. The descriptions in this book are fantastic and make it feel as though the reader is there experiencing the harvest. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an educational, autumn read broken down easily enough for young children to understand.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informational picture book. Sam is a young boy who lives with his parents on a cranberry farm. He tells the reader all of the steps involved in harvesting cranberries-- flooding, booming, corraling, cleaning, and finally delivering the harvest. The whole process is done as a family, with lots of love and laughter along the way. This book is based on the author's own life on a cranberry marsh in Wisconsin. Back matter includes two recipes, author's note, and a glossary.

I enjoyed reading this book and seeing behind the scenes of a cranberry harvest. My only prior exposure was through Ocean Spray commercials(the author does mention in the back that they are part of the Ocean Spray collaborative- I had no idea that was an employee-owned company!). It is an interesting crop, and reading this makes me want to experiment more with it in my baking. Great for agriculture lessons or for a seasonal fall read.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a typical Thanksgiving book, but it does tie it in at the end. Very informative book about the process of harvesting cranberries. A young boy tells the story as he is on his first harvesting trip with his parents. Great illustrations. There is a glossary in the back of the book and also a couple cranberry recipes I want to try. The author's note gives even more cranberry info. More cranberries are grown in Wisconsin than any other state is one fun fact and there are many more. Love this interesting addition to our Thanksgiving book collection.

[Hannah Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time for Cranberries is about a boy whose family own a cranberry march. It’s fall, which means it’s time to harvest the cranberries. The boy is finally old enough and this will be his first time harvesting with mom and dad. First, they put on their waders so they don’t get wet. Next, they fill the beds with water until you can no longer see the cranberry vines. Dad’s tracker picks the cranberries and then it’s time to get in the water and corral the loose berries. The boy falls in the water and is told that “you’re not a real cranberry grower until you fall in.” The family still has to go through a few more steps in the process, but the boy simply wants to eat the berries. Finally, after the cranberries have been delivered, the boy can have his berries that he worked hard for! Harvest season has finally ended. On a cold morning, the boy wakes up to cranberry pies. This means it’s time for Thanksgiving!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute picture book about a little boy who is getting involved in harvesting cranberries on his family’s farm for the first time. It gets a little too technical for me- even though it’s short and easy to understand- about the different machines used for harvesting. I think a child who’s interested in machinery may appreciate that. I would have liked to learn more about how the cranberries grow and see Sam help make something using the cranberries. I really liked how he referred to himself as a “cranberry grower.” I thought his pride in his family business was very sweet.

This would be nice to read around Thanksgiving. The setting in the book is autumn with beautiful changing leaves and ends with a cranberry pie made for Thanksgiving.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've seen the commercials for cranberries that show cranberry farmers wearing waders up to their hips as they move through the water in the marsh but that was the extent of my knowledge. Until now. Now I know how this cranberry farming family collects and cleans cranberries as well as the names for the machinery used. Children's non-fiction books are such a fun way to learn about the world.

[KyLee Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting children's book. This story is about the harvesting of cranberries. This illustrations help tell the story if you have a struggling reader. This is a fun and educational book that should be used in classrooms.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story of life on a cranberry marsh! A great book to teach your child the basics of a cranberry harvest. Beautiful artwork to go along with the story. Look forward to more of her children’s books!

[Susan McQuilkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book about life on a cranberry farm in Wisconsin keeps the romance of an unusual bog-based form of agriculture alive. The farm has been in my cousin’s family 150 years, longer than any other heritage cranberry farm in the United States.

[Shannon Janico · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is SUCH a cute and informative book on how cranberries are grown and harvested in the United States! Did you know cranberries are only one of the five native fruits native to North America? I didn’t! Loved it for a 5 year old !!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don't see many picture books about cranberry harvest. This was a neat story.

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read for Wisconsinites. Learned all about cranberry farming, which is integral to Wisconsin life.

[Susan Eubank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for a story time on berries, Thanksgiving, etc.. Clearly explains processes and has additional information and recipes in the back.

[EJLJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and very informative book.

[Alice Ball · Rating 4 out of 5]

An unusual thanksgiving story with lots to learn about cranberry bogs!

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't know about cranberry pie being a thing, but glad to be able to try it now! We loved it and will make it again :)

[Deja Roden · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and family fun. Really makes you appreciate your cranberry sauce for all the work and ingenuity put into the growing and the harvesting.

*Good for around Thanksgiving

[Child960801 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story about what it's like during harvest time on a cranberry farm.

[Stephani Blanding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informational: This book is an informational text about harvesting cranberries in the fall. This could be used in a classroom to teach children about harvesting cranberries and the autumn season.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had no idea all the work that goes into harvesting cranberries, and reading this book has given me a whole new appreciation for the fruit. Next time I bite into my cran-orange muffin, I'll keep in mind all the work that families such as Sam's do in making those yummy berries available for me. The book follows Sam as he joins his parents in the cranberry bogs. I lie how the author provides so many details, including how the fields first must be flooed, and almost makes the family's labor sound as though they are roping and corralling wild horses. The Author's Note gives readers insight into her upbringing and experience with cranberry growing, and she also provides recipes for cranberry sauce--the real stuff, not the yucky canned stuff--and a cranberry pie, which sounds scrumptious. I think I'd like to try both of them. The inclusion of a glossary with words specific to the story is helpful to readers unfamiliar with this type of farming. Time for cranberries means plenty of good eating for most of us but also plenty of hard work for others. The book helps readers appreciate the sources of the foods they love.

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This offers the best of non-fiction for young readers, but will engage and appeal to adults as well.
The process of cranberry harvesting and information about the cranberry industry are skillfully tucked into a fluent and fun text, using a young boy's first participation in the family business to make a business venture much more than that. Illustrations are both informative and heartwarming, with an undertone of color that lets the cranberries rise to the center of attention on every page, as they should.
The repeated pattern: "Is it time for cranberries yet?" mirrors the typical "Are we there yet?", easing the transition and page turns from stage to stage of the harvest, processing, and eventual path to the answer everyone is craving by the final pages- YES, it's time to eat the cranberries!
Back matter providing family, geographic, and economic details will interest all but the youngest and can launch research related to economics, foods, and Wisconsin.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learn how cranberries are harvested with this descriptive and interesting book!

It's been a few years now since I read this one, and it has stuck with me. I can't open up a can of cranberries without thinking of this book.

Ages: 4 - 8

Cleanliness: nothing to note.

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[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know how I missed this book last year but I'm very glad it was sent our way for Bookends! Stories set on family farms are SO rare. This is a really nice one in that not only do so few of us know anything about harvesting cranberries but the process is seen through the eyes of a boy just now old enough to participate! The information is clearly and interestingly presented and the I, for one, learned so much. Jed Henry's illustrations have a rich ripeness to the palette that matches the subject.

This is a perfect book to add to fall, Thanksgiving and farm units especially as it is so unusual. As we talk about diversity in children's books, it is important to point out that farm kids rarely get to see themselves reflected accurately portrayals of their lives.

[Lynne Vanderveen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Readers follow along on a family farm as cranberries are harvested. Children will enjoy the story of a youngster's first time helping the family harvest the berries. They will also learn about how cranberries grow and are picked. (I learned a couple things while reading it) Even if children are familiar with farming, this is a different kind of farming and will introduce them to a new experience. Good read around Thanksgiving and Christmas when cranberries are most popular as additions to meals and desserts.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, let me state that I love cranberries! Where was this book when I was teaching 2nd grade and doing a cranberry unit (did you know that ripe cranberries bounce?)? What a great book filled with information about this amazing fruit. I liked the story being told from the perspective of a little boy who is finally old enough to participate in the cranberry harvest on his family's farm. There are two recipes included, as well as some background information on the family cranberry business from which this book was based.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time for cranberries by Detlefsen_ Lisl H - Henry_ Jed
We live near the cape where they do harvest the cranberries every year and we've never seen it done.
Although this one is around a Michigan farm the process would be about the same.
Love the glossary of words used before the story. What a treasure-recipes using cranberries. I personally love them!
Love how they explain the process of the harvest.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great addition to the seasons genre within children's literature. Full disclosure: Our family is friends with Lisl's family. This association was helpful while reading because we have visited the marsh depicted in the story. The descriptions and illustrations are very accurate. For any teacher looking to frontload their students with essential knowledge regarding the seasons, types of agriculture, or a food unit, this book is a worthy choice.