From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 3. Babci ("grandmother" in Polish) lies ill in her bed but continues to tell her granddaughter about her life as a young girl. She talks of emigrating to America， of raising chickens， and， mostly， of dancing with her beloved Dziadziu， the grandfather who died before Gabriella was born. Meanwhile， Gabriella's mother prepares the traditional Easter basket， for Babci knows she won't live to see the holiday and has asked to celebrate early. The child performs her snowflake dance for her grandmother， and， inspired by the elderly woman's stories， she does it perfectly. This is a story of sweet remembrance， a simple but clear portrait of intergenerational love. Although Babci's death is imminent， this is not a maudlin tale but rather a celebration of the affectionate relationships that have shaped Gabriella's life. Nelson's brightly colored woodcuts are a perfect match for a narrative that melds the old country with the new. Those pictures that feature Babci and Gabriella have particularly well-defined textures; those showing scenes of the grandmother's past have a more painted look and are not as striking. Nevertheless， both the full-page and miniature folk-art prints convey a sense of rustic simplicity that is in keeping with the simple life of the family. While not a first purchase， this title will go well with both intergenerational units and those that promote ethnic pride. Somewhat reminiscent of Tomie dePaola's Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs (Putnam， 1973)， this upbeat book could be shared when discussing the loss of a grandparent.?Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan， LaSalle Academy， Providence， RICopyright 1997 Reed Business Information， Inc. From Booklist Gr. 3^-6， younger for reading aloud. As the story begins， Gabriella remembers a time when Babci (Grandmother) was "round as a loaf of bread and my arms couldn't fit around her waist，" but now her bones "float inside her skin." Since Babci's health is rapidly declining， Gabriella and her mother begin preparations for an early Easter celebration. They listen to the old woman's remembrances of life in the old country and the journey to America. The family found itself with scarce resources in coal country， where baths were taken on Saturday in a washtub by the kitchen stove and where the family painted its chickens' feet blue to differentiate the chickens from neighbors' flocks. Although her people had little， Babci tells of dances and stolen kisses and handsome Dziadziu (Grandfather)， who died before Gabriella was born. In direct and uncomplicated language and through a series of flashbacks， Bartoletti captures the spirit of love and caring across generations and the temperament of people who keep dancing through hard periods. Nelson's captivating hand-colored linoleum-cut illustrations play an important role in conveying a Polish American family's history as well as a strong sense of place. Karen Morgan See all Editorial Reviews