Art Direction, Design
Illustrated by Kathryn Mitter

"Simple, colorful, and attractive, Mitter’s illustrations create a tone of contentment that makes this an attractive choice for reading aloud."—Booklist

"The illustrations are appealing with bright, saturated colors framed by the natural whites and browns of a winter landscape. Faces and forms of people are deceptively simple lines, yet expressions are clear and well defined…Spreads add depth and perspective to the busy, labor-intensive system for making syrup from sap…This title is a fun, comprehensive look at the process of making maple syrup the old-fashioned way."—School Library Journal

"Knowlton gives Kelsey a chipper narrative voice, which is matched by the bright colors and friendly interactions in Mitter’s illustrations…Both the text and the art make clear how much work goes into producing maple syrup, how slow the process is, and how a community comes together to get the job done."—Publishers Weekly

"Kelsey's chores are kid-appropriate: hammering spiles, hanging buckets, stacking and carrying wood, and curiously peeking and asking about the syrup’s readiness as it boils…Mitter’s illustrations play up the camaraderie of working together…Readers with maples get ready: kids are sure to want to try their hands at boiling their own syrup."—Kirkus Reviews