Beginning with the ride on the old Southern Railway car (colored'' says the sign on the wall), the sights, sounds, and warm delights of a summer visit to Grandma in Crews's own childhood—a three-day trip from somewhere up north. Lovingly, Crews explores the old homestead through the eyes of the four returning kids; though light comes from a kerosene lamp, and water from the well, Grandma's place is spacious and well kept, and there's a barn, a stable, eggs to look for, andplenty of water for fishing and swimming.'' Best, the whole family gathers- -''We talked so much we hardly had time to eat.'' Crews captures both the children's joy and enthusiasm and his own nostalgia in a nicely understated text and, especially, in his wonderfully evocative illustrations. Adopting a more realistic style than he used in his two Caldecott Honor books, Crews nicely accommodates the many period details with a subtle palette that emphasizes browns and greens to convey a richly sensory experience. A grand alternative to the plethora of predictable books about white kids visiting grandparents on stereotypical family farms. (Picture book. 4-8)"

Crews presents a loving, nostalgic look at the summers of his childhood when the whole family journeyed to visit their grandmother, Bigmama. The illustrations portray exuberant adults and children celebrating their family against a background of strong graphic designs of buildings set in the lush foliage of a Florida country summer.

Starred Review In this celebration of childhood memories, Crews takes readers along on a trip his family made every summer to his grandparents' house in the country. The pages sing with his excitement during the long train ride and recount his satisfaction on arrival. The relatives, the house, the outbuildings, and the pond, everything was just the same. . . . Everything was just as it should be. The last page, showing the artist as an adult against a cityscape at night, remembering those magical journeys to Bigmama's, draws all the remembrances together in a poignant conclusion. The ink-and-watercolor wash illustrations, using varying tone values for shaping, shading, and dramatic effect, differ from Crews' previous artwork with their flat colors in bold, crisp graphics, but this more diffuse style is well suited to the subject. A satisfying portrait of an extended family and a loving tribute to memories that defy the passage of time. (Reviewed Nov. 15, 1991)

Gr 1-4-- In this very appealing picture-book reminiscence, Crews invites readers to journey back to his childhood. Four African-American children and their mother travel by train to visit grandparents in a rural town. When the family reaches its destination, the children inspect each room of the house. Outside, they investigate the yard, the toolshed, the barn, the stable, and, finally, the pond. To their everlasting delight and satisfaction, they see that everything is still the same.'' Crews departs from the graphic style employed so memorably in Freight Train (1978) and Parade (1983, both Greenwillow). His watercolor and goache illustrations are an attractive blend of simplicity and sophistication. His expertise is evident throughout. Characters are placed in their setting with utmost consideration, and are dressed in colors that create a sort ofwarm rainbow'' scattered about the farm and the happy household. This offering is intended for a somewhat older audience than Crews's earlier works, and will work well in classrooms. It is similar in mood and content to James Stevenson's When I Was Nine (Greenwillow, 1986) and Cynthia Rylant's When I Was Young in the Mountains (Dutton, 1982). A wonderful selection for family story times. --Eve Larkin, Chicago Public Library