Maggie and Mr. Whiskers rescue an abandoned donkey from sour Mr. Grape in this eighth entry in Wende and Harry Devlin's Cranberryport picture-book series, naming her Eliza and bringing her home. Ready to give Eliza all the love and care she needs, the two friends nevertheless confront a problem: how to afford the donkey's feed. Fortunately, Grandmother has a plan, and the trio kick into gear, giving donkey rides during Cranberryport's 4th of July celebration, in order to earn the money...

I enjoyed this entry in the Devlins' Cranberryport series, which chronicles the adventures of Maggie, Mr. Whiskers and Grandmother in their small New England town by the side of a cranberry bog. As always, Mr. Whisker's exclamations of "Suffering Codfish!" were amusing, as was Grandmother's disapproval. The artwork, done in watercolor and ink, is colorful and expressive, although I think my favorite scenes, from a visual perspective, were the simpler nighttime ones which showed our characters in black silhouette, against a deep blue background. Like its predecessors, Cranberry Summer included a cranberry recipe at the rear - Cranberry Punch, perfect for the 4th of July! - which was a nice touch. Recommended to fans of the Devlins' Cranberryport books, and to picture-book readers looking for lighthearted stories set at the 4th of July, or featuring donkeys. ( )