A marketing errand turns into a rite of passage for Molly the piglet in Swedish author/illustrator Eriksson's (Andrei's Search) tender picture book. Molly is all skip-in-her-step confidence when Grandma trusts her to make her first solo trip to the store: "Not everyone is smart enough to go shopping," reads the text. But when Molly returns home with the wrong item and tells a lie to excuse her mistake, Grandma is less than pleased. A second shopping outing has equally upsetting results. The third time proves the charm, however, as Molly, now anxious, successfully purchases a bakery treat. Eriksson gracefully examines everyday life through a believable, unabashedly kid-centric lens. She subtly weaves a wealth of emotions—Molly's confusion, fear, embarrassment—into her unfettered storytelling. Grandma's reassuring but not coddling approach helps bring home the message, while the pale palette and delicate shading throughout the pastel-and-pencil compositions infuse the proceedings with warmth. Many readers will also appreciate the bonds between a greatly variegated animal cast here; polar-bear Grandma and Molly are not only of different generations, but different species. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)
