THE VILLAGE BASKET WEAVER

In the coastal village of Belize, a boy takes over the tradition of basket weaving when his beloved, infirm grandfather can no longer carry on. Grandfather Carpio laments to his grandson Tavio that young people no longer learn from the elders ``how to do the dances and sing the old songs.'' All the old ways, in fact, are in danger of being forgotten. The children of the village grow up and move to cities or go to work for companies that destroy the rain forest. Carpio is the only one who knows how to weave the new cassava squeezer that the village needs to make bread. During Carpio's last days, he teaches Tavio his trade, for the boy has decided to become the new village basket weaver. London (Fireflies, Fireflies, Light My Way, 1996, etc.) makes Tavio's decision inevitable but not predictable; Tavio is tugged, as readers will be, by the beauty of the old ways. Crespo effectively recreates the tropical warmth of the Caribbean—the waves seem to lap at the shores. A thoughtful tale about the importance of keeping traditions alive. (Picture book. 4-8)