Miracles on Maple Hill is about a family that decides to fix up the mother's grandmother's old home on Maple Hill, and hopefully fix the family as well. The father is struggling to recover from being a prisoner of war during the Korean Conflict. Unable to find a job, he just wants to be left alone to work on the house. The children, Joe and Marly finish school back home and join their dad for the summer. Marly is impetuous and friendly and loves to meet new friends, exactly what her dad didn't want. Mr. Chris promises Marly one miracle a week on Maple Hill. When the family decides to live there all year, Marly gets to see lots of miracles.
I listened to this book on a Playaway now offered at my local library. I found all the different voices and sound effects distracting, but not enough to turn me off this book. What a delightful story. Mainly told through the eyes of little Marly, we see the wonders and beauty of nature through her perspective. When young adult issues like, war, POW, unemployment and financial hardship are too distant and hard to understand. All she knows is that Dad is grumpy and Mom is worried. Little did she the greatest miracle on Maple Hill would be getting her father again. This book would be a great story for a classroom, about 4th grade and up. Older children could talk about the more complex issues, but younger children can just sit back and learn everything involved in making maple syrup. I couldn't help but crave pancakes the entire time I was reading it.
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