My library kids are very much going to enjoy the final installment from Lucy Knisley in this series. I have loved seeing the growth of characters and how this family has come together. This time, I really appreciated the author's notes about just how much this series was true and how much was different. We learn from others no matter how long they are in our lives which I think is something important to remember!

What makes someone family when you have a blended family? Is it shared interests, or is family truly just the people you are blood related with. Sugar Shack delves into this topic with grace and wit. It continues to follow the adventures of Jen and her step-sisters Andy and Reese. These characters were featured in both the other Peapod Farm books, Apple Crush and Stepping Stones.

This book focuses on Jen still trying to find her place within her new blended family. Problems arise when one of her step-sisters finally calls Jen, just sister and the other has a problem with that. The story also goes into the continued conflict between Jen and her step-father.

I enjoyed that this book showed off some of the interesting things about life on a northern farm, specifically the process of making maple syrup, it was interesting and something I didn't know about.

The author also has information in the back of the book about the real life inspiration for Peapod Farms and her characters. I like how she has made the book semi-autobiographical. Readers of books like The Babysitter's Club graphic novel series or Squished would enjoy this book.

Overall I would give it four stars. The book is interesting and both the plot and art are done well. Good but not one of my favorites.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a eARC of this book. I had read almost all of Lucy Kinsley books and was so happy to get early access of this title. I had read the previous book in this series about the Pea Pod Farm and had enjoyed it as well. This book I feel is actually better. In the first book Jen is struggling with a lot of changes and emotions with her mom's recent marriage. In this book Jen seems to have found her place within the family and is starting to adjust to life. She starting to have close feelings for her stepsisters and starting to feel like they are a "family". Though her one step sister is struggling with that concept it still brings a lot to light about the dynamics of a child adjusting to parents remarrying and change. I do recommend this book to others especially children who are going through a parents divorce or parents remarriage or family change adjustments. I feel Kinsley really explains it well in a way a kid can relate to and understand. With me being a adult who had to go through the same thing as a kid - I was able to closely relate to the feelings she has portrayed in this series. I do hope there are more books in the Pea Pod Farm series because I would love to read them as well.

This was such a well crafted, beautiful story. And so many amazing messages: fitting into a new place, new family, different dynamics between types of people ("townies" vs "city kids" and more), and I loved the inclusion and diversity. The illustrations were also fantastic. I especially loved Jen's drawings between chapters as well as the subtle expressions on the adults faces reacting to the kids' comments and conversations.
This is absolutely a book that kids + grown-ups can enjoy together.

A perfect conclusion to Lucy Knisley's Peapod Farms series! I loved seeing Knisley branch out into middle grade graphic novels, and I love the way she incorporated aspects of her own life into these books. She handles the feelings felt by preteens so deftly in a way that will speak to both young and adult readers. The art capturing winter on the farm made me want to visit!

Sugar Shack
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Sugar Shack.

Sugar Shack is a beautifully illustrated and colorful graphic novel about the complexities of being a child in a blended family. While this is the last in the Peapod Farm series, I read it as a stand-alone. I can’t wait to go back and read the rest of the series. 5 stars

This graphic novel was so cute, and had so much heart. You could really tell that the author was pulling from their own experiences, but in helps the story seem so relatable. I enjoyed how the author talking about the melding of traditions.

This is the last volume of the Peapod Farm series from Lucy Knisley, and it's also probably my favorite. She's done such great work with these characters, making them all just as charming, curious, and annoying as actual tweens and allowing their relationships to develop in ways that feel really authentic. The part at the end where Jen meets the new kittens made me tear up. I especially loved Knisley's author's note at the end of the book, where she goes into detail about some of her creative process. I highly recommend this series, especially to readers looking for sweet, cozy vibes and a peek into what it might look like to live on a small farm.

The title is perfect for this book. I like how there is a blended family, I have not seen this in many books. The illustrations and information about making syrup and 4H are such good things to see in a story. I also enjoy how the book talks about different occupations that adults have in the world. This story also shows how a blended family can get along, even when there are different religions involved. This is a good middle grade book. I think trying the recipe at the end would also be fun. I am going to recommend this book to a teacher I work with who makes her own maple syrup.

I received an ARC from Random House Children’s via NetGalley. This was another fun addition to the middle grade graphic novel series “Peapod Farms” from Lucy Knisley. The main character Jen is still adapting to farm life after growing up a city girl. She is also still learning what it’s like to be a step-sister and have a step parent. For fans of Knisley’s work this is an easy recommend. Great graphics, smooth story and fun recipes – because food is always a central part of all her graphic novels.

Sugar Shack is a fun addition to the Peapod Farm series. I really loved the complicated relationship that emerged for Jen when interacting with Andy. I think that it serves as a good model for how relationships take on different forms and can grow over time. I also loved the small ways that Knisley included different cultures and practices. I wish we had seen more of this especially since it would allow students and other young readers a chance to learn about, engage, and possibly explore cultural practices that are not as widely known about today. Overall this was great edition that immersed the reader back in Peapod Farm.

Lucy Knisley is one of my favorite graphic novelists ever, and I feel that the Peapod Farm series is very best work. Sugar Shack is a wonderful conclusion (?) to one of my favorite series. The characters continue to develop into complex, sympathetic figures.

The synopsis makes a big deal about Andy and Reese not considering Jen to be their true sister, but that element really did not feel very central to the actual book, and the mentions of this element were resolved without much explicit issue.

Besides that inconsistency, I loved the cozy winter vibes and seeing the characters try new things (like 4H and making maple syrup). Jen's notebook pages added a lot to her character.

Another great installment in the Peapod Farm series. Knisley writes wonderful coming of age stories that stand easily with Little Women and Ann of Green Gables.

I will continue to be a fan of Lucy Knisley's work, both for adults and children. She has such a talent for capturing emotion, humor, and sincerity of a scene or moment in time in a few panels. I loved her personal notes at the end and how her life inspired the story.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was so sweet, and adorable as per usual! The cats are always my favorite part of course, but I love the art in general, every character is well developed and rounded, and have their unique little quirks and facial expressions. What a treat :)

I loved Stepping Stones so much. I recommend it to everyone I know. So when I saw there was a sequel, I knew I had to read it. This is a much more slice of life book compared to Stepping Stones, in that there aren't any big conflicts or arcs, just a family living their everyday lives. It's a good book for people with blended families, and of course, a wonderful book for anyone who owns a farm!

Yes, there never is enough firewood.

Lucy Knisley does a lovely job of capturing the trials of growing up in a new family and learning to work together to achieve goals even when you don't always love the way those around you want to run the show. The story is very much based on her lived reality, and as a result, I think it resonates more.

There is some conflict with her siblings and her step dad, as well as with the other people in town, but Jen figures it out most of the time while staying true to herself.

The artwork is in keeping with the previous books as well as Knisley's other graphic novels, and you don't have to have read the previous stories to be able to pick up this volume and get some enjoyment out of it.

I have to say that, for me, the maple syrup tapping was the best part. The fact that we went from tapping trees to celebrating with friends and fresh maple syrup was just a great way to weave the story together and show the passage of time.

All in all, a great middle school graphic novel and a lovely story.

A good continuation to the story laid out in Stepping Stones. Things seem more harmonious in this one except for a few bumps but a good story nonetheless.

My 9 year old loved reading this ARC and I let her pick how many stars to give this book. She really enjoys this whole series. I will update my Goodreads review when I help her type up her thoughts on it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun kids book. The illustrations were great and the story was so sweet. This will make a great read for kids.