Margot Theis Raven

Goodreads Review:
As she teaches her granddaughter to sew a traditional sweetgrass basket, a grandmother weaves a story, going back generations to her old-timey grandfather's village in faraway Africa. There, as a boy, he learned to make baskets so tightly woven they could hold the rain. Even after being stolen away to a slave ship bound for America, he remembers what he learned and passes these memories on to his children - as they do theirs, so that

. . . when your fingers talk just right
that circle will go out and out again -
past slavery and freedom, old ways and new,
and your basket will hold the past . . .

This powerful picture book, with its rhythmic text and evocative paintings, spirals through time, becoming a triumphant song - a rich story of a craft, a culture, and a people.… (mehr)

Times were hard during the Soviet blockade of West Berlin. With roads and rail access closed, airplanes were the only way to get food and other supplies into West Berlin. An American pilot, Gail Halvorsen, dropped candy for the children on his daily runs, earning him the nickname the “Chocolate Pilot.” This is the story of the Chocolate Pilot’s gift to a young West Berlin girl named Mercedes that began a lifelong friendship. This sweet story illustrates how kindness toward strangers can have a long-lasting effect. Since it’s a historical story, it should have a long shelf life in libraries. It’s supposed to look old-fashioned!… (mehr)