Robert McCloskey made a name for himself in the nineteen fifties as a fabulously creative children' s author and illustrator, and his famous book Blueberries for Sal, truly puts his talents on display. His illustrations match his story lines perfectly and they capture the reader's imagination, urging them to read on and on. The pictures are so detailed that words are not needed. The illustrations have enough creativity that a child could imagine what was going on and make up a story of their own to go along with the images of little Sal and her mother. McCloskey's illustrations are black and white with no color whatsoever, and consist of simple penciled drawings. While this may sound boring, one look, and the reader will see that color is not needed and that the lack of it brings even more character to the illustrations.
McCloskey's illustrations are sketch like and he uses dramatic shading to add height and depth. Without the shading his drawings would have an almost cartoon like quality, but by darkening shapes in the background and adding specially placed details like buttons, shoe buckles, and pockets, his characters spring to life and their surroundings seem more real than ones own backyard.
One of the most intriguing sketches in Blueberries for Sal is the scene where Sal, tired of following her mother around Blueberry Hill, “sat down in the middle of a large clump of bushes and ate blueberries.” This illustration is so realistic. Every reader can understand a weary child who has grown distracted with her chores and needs a break. The expression on her face and way she is sitting, with her legs stretched out about her in relaxation, is a perfect depiction of childhood. Her overalls are wrinkled again and one of her straps is falling down to her elbow. She is happy and content to plop down and eat blueberries without a care in the world, making the reader want to plop down in the bushes with her and eat some blueberries.
While the story itself is geared towards children, the illustrations, not the words, are what truly draw the children into the adventure. Sal looks just like any normal little girl. Everything from her wrinkled overalls to her tousled hair makes her a perfect playmate for any child, and she looks fun. Children will be drawn to her and relate to her because it will not be hard for them to imagine her as one of their playmates. The body language between Sal and her mother is so true to life that children will see the similarities between Sal's mother and their own. By making the children relate to his illustrations, McCloskey is able to heighten their fear. They will be worried when Sal and Little Bear get lost because they will be imagining what it would feel like to be lost themselves. They will feel a rush of relief, when Sal is reunited with her mother.
One of the characteristics of McCloskey's illustrations is that they travel from one page to another. The words share the page with the illustrations giving the child a wide canvas to gaze at while reading, or being read to. In Blueberries for Sal the sprawling landscape spills across the pages giving Blueberry Hill an almost three dimensional look. An interesting ploy McCloskey uses can be seen during the time that Sal is separated from her mother. During this part of the story he uses huge boulders, tree stumps, and expansive landscape views to morph Sal, making her look smaller and smaller. This makes it more and more obvious that Sal is lost and all alone. It causes readers to unconsciously become more aware of just how lost little Sal is.
McCloskey's stories deal with realistic situations and his illustrations reflects his home-style adventures. One of the most interesting parts of Blueberries for Sal is the two- page, detail filled front and back of the book. Before the adventure begins, the picture shows a simple country kitchen equipped with a black coal stove, cans, bags of flour, wood floors, and homemade curtains. The scene sets the tone for the entire story and the reader is so happy to see that by the end of their adventure Sal and her mother are happily reunited and back in the kitchen; using the blueberries to make preserves. The illustrated kitchen is in direct contrast to the sprawling nature scenes of Blueberry Hill, and this simply makes the act of picking blueberries more adventurous because Sal is no longer within the cozy confines of her home.
Children will find McCloskey's tales to be completely enthralling due to the way that he uses his art. The depictions of little Sal and her adventures on Blueberry Hill will surely make an impression on their education and their lives. What makes McCloskey so special is that he encourages children to use their imagination by creating art that brings them a connection with his characters.
