3 | gracewlooper
August 28, 2009 at 7:47 am

MOLASSES MAKING TIME by Grace W. Looper
Bella Rosa Books, 141 pages. Trade paperback.

Every so often a book comes along that’s just enjoyable to read. MOLASSES MAKING TIME by Rock Hill’s Grace W. Looper is such a book.

Set in the 1930s in Yancey County, NC., MOLASSES MAKING TIME takes readers back to a time when neighbors helped their neighbors, when doing chores meant more than making one’s bed. It was a time when the community gathered for many activities, including shucking corn.

After the corn shucking, the community would gather for a night of food, fun and games. Everyone would drink their fill of apple cider and eat until even the cakes and pies were almost gone. The music and dancing usually lasted until midnight.
Eleven-year-old Aaron Gilbert Fowler lived in such a world. Aaron loved to fish and go raccoon hunting with his pa. It gave him respite from the criticism from his stern ma.

But his favorite time of year was molasses-making time. He enjoyed chewing a piece of sugar cane stalk to “test” its sweetness. He loved working with his pa to gather the cane and the aroma as the cane was boiled to make molasses.

Aaron was typical youth of the time. He had a crush on his teacher, thought the preacher’s daughter was a pest and loved playing tricks on his sister. Aaron’s world seemed perfect.

But when an accident changes Aaron’s world, he blames himself. And the guilt is so unbearable he can’t even speak about it.

Suddenly, everything around him seems to change and he must deal with the fact that things will never again be the same. Even though Aaron doesn’t want to change, he eventually accepts the fact that change is inevitable and begins to embrace the changes around him.

MOLASSES MAKING TIME is a book about growing up in a changing world. It’s a book about families and relationships. It’s a book for those yearning for a simpler time, before the days of computers, televisions or cellular telephones. It’s a book that will make readers realize what is truly important in life and yearn for those times again.
But more than that, MOLASSES MAKING TIME educates readers that time moves on. And people move in and out of our lives. And it lets us know that it’s okay for that to happen.

Nostalgia, love, hope, tragedy and triumph — MOLASSES MAKING TIME has it all.

5 | gracewlooper
November 9, 2009 at 3:25 pm

Warm Hearted Tale, July 23, 2005
By Louis N. Gruber “Author of Jay” (Lexington, SC United States)

Aaron Fowler is just about as happy as an eleven-year old boy could be, surrounded by a loving family, the rhythms of rural life, and his love for his Pa, a big, handsome, fun-loving man. If he has a crush on his favorite teacher, if he squabbles with his silly younger sister, aren’t those just part of growing up?
His favorite time of year is molasses making time, and then–

The accident happens. Suddenly Pa is dead, and Aaron must adjust to a world that will never be the same.

There isn’t much more to say about the plot. Author Grace Looper handles the story with skill and sensitivity. The characters and their conflicts become real and believable. Most remarkable is the way she can get inside a little boy’s head. This is a great story. It moves a bit slowly in the beginning, but gradually picks up speed. You may shed a few tears but you won’t be able to put it down. I recommend this one highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

Touching and Authentic, December 15, 2004
By Betty Wilson Beamguard (York, SC USA)

Whether you’re young or old, you’ll be touched by this little book’s heartfelt emotion and authentic portrayal of life during the 30′s. It reminds me of Cold Sassy Tree.