Wild Berries by Julie Flett

I never really know with Simply Read - their books are always gorgeous, but sometimes they're not really marketable, if that's the word I want. So I usually don't buy them unless I can borrow a copy elsewhere to look at. This one turned out to be both lovely and marketable.

When Clarence is a baby, his grandmother carries him to the woods to pick berries. Now that he is older, he carries his own bucket and walks to the woods with his grandmother. They enjoy a peaceful day of picking and observing the natural beauty of the woods before returning home. A pronunciation guide to the Cree words is included as is a recipe for wild blueberry jam.

Julie Flett's illustrations are lovely in their simplicity . Simple shapes and blocks of color, enlivened by brush strokes show Clarence's quiet observation of the creatures that share the berry patch and show a beautiful, somewhat isolated world. The book is physically small, about 8x8 inches, but packs a visual punch.

Verdict: A simple but lovely book, perfect for a quiet one-on-one reading at bedtime or before a little berry picking expedition.

ISBN: 971897476895; Published 2013 by Simply Read; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Added to my library's order list