Revisitng a Classic! Miracles on Maple Hill.

 My 4th grade teacher read this book aloud to us many years ago.  I eagerly waited every day after lunch recess when she would read us just one chapter.  I enjoyed it then and was happy to find this book again.   The family in the story is adjusting to the return of their father, who had been a Prisoner of War, likely the Korean War, based on the publication date of this book in the 1950's.  As fate would have it, they went to Maple Hill, the home where Lee, the mother spent many happy days as a child in the home of her late grandmother.  The family is transformed as father stays behind, fixing up the place and working with a kindly neighbor, Mr. Chris.  They work hard together on the maple sugar harvest, which heals father and brings the family closer.

This is a wonderful story of family values.  This family inspired me then as it does today because when we work hard together, the rewards are great.  I like the old fashioned notion of strong families sticking together through tough times.  It reminds me of my own large family growing up in that era, working in the garden, preserving our food and each of us having a job to do in the process, no matter our age.  It was worth it and the memories are savored.

 Some would say that some of the traditional adjectives are outmoded but frankly, the words as written are as defined in the true sense of the word. 

The cover of this book was illustrated by Beth and Joe Kush, a husband and wife team who illustrated many children's books including the five United States editions of the  Borrowers series by Mary Norton

Publishers Summary

Marly and her family are moving out to the country, back to her mother's grandmother's house, back to where she would say: "Now scoot, you two, for goodness' sakes! Up here, there's all outdoors!"

Moving so her father can start recovering from his time spent as a prisoner of war, as Marly and her family learn about the country life from their neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Chris, they do start adjusting and becoming happier. When Mr. Chris suffers a heart attack during "sugaring time," Marly's family helps to repay the kindness shown them by pitching in to keep the fires going, keep the sap moving, and bring in that year's harvest of maple syrup...even getting the whole school to join in their efforts.

Miracles on Maple Hill won the 1957 Newbery Medal.

.