Grandma's Promise

A winter trip to her grandmother's country home is a special event for Kimshe usually goes in the summertime. And thanks to a storm that makes the electricity go out, the visit is full of cozy details like sleeping on a bedroll near a woodstove, eating oatmeal with fruit chunks in it, stuffing pine cones with a peanut-butter mixture for the birds and wearing skates to the frozen pondskates that were Kim's mother's when she was a little girl. The promise of summerbuds on the treesis Grandma's assurance that Kim will return when the weather is warm. But in Moore's world, the special charms of winterlovingly illustrated by Primavera, who details patterned sweaters, quilts, the steaming kettle on the stove in misty, muted toneswill linger with Kim and readers through spring. Ages 5-8. (March)