Wild Rose's Weaving

Churchill's (Carmen's Sticky Scab) earnest testimony to the joy of creating art follows Wild Rose, who'd rather be outside exploring than learning how to weave with Grandma ("Wild Rose ran through the meadow. She kicked up dust and spooked the sheep. This has got to be better than weaving, she thought"). Inevitably, Grandma's work draws her in, and when she asks to be taught, Grandma has a smart reply: "Not now. Now I'm busy." Wild Rose's conversion, once Grandma explains the significance of the rug she's made, feels believable ("We come from the earth, we reach for the sky," Grandma says, "playing and growing in sunshine and storms"). Yet while her new discipline is a lovely step toward maturity, pitting the lure of the outdoors against the loom seems like a hard choice. Wong's (Only One Year) sympathies sometimes work crosswise to Churchill's message; in one of the strongest spreads, Wild Rose is seen with Grandma's flock of sheep, tiny figures adrift in an ocean of grass under massing thunderclouds. Despite Grandma's wisdom, some readers may feel that this is where the real magic lies. Ages 4%E2%80%938. (Sept.)