Time for Cranberries

When autumn arrives, a boy named Sam helps his parents harvest the cranberries in their marsh. Debut author Detlefsen (who lives on a Wisconsin cranberry marsh herself) vividly details each step, introducing terminology like “booming” (“We keep flooding the picked bed until the vines are completely covered”) and “corralling,” which involves putting on waders and gathering the berries “into one big bunch called the pot.” (When Sam slips, his father assures him, “I always say you’re not a cranberry grower until you fall in.”) Henry (I Love You Near and Far) devotes equal attention to the unique mechanisms of this harvesting process, the alluring rural setting, and the close bond shared by this family of farmers. A glossary, author’s note, and recipes are included. Ages 3–7. Author’s agent: Jennifer Mattson, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agency: Shannon Associates. (Sept.)