Gr 3-5-A grandfather gives his grandson a lesson in geology, history, and family pride as they examine the stone walls defining his New England farmstead. From shale formed beneath prehistoric seas to the campfires of Paleoindians to the oxen teams and stone sleds of the European pioneers and his own boyhood, the elderly man gently presents a panorama spanning eons, rounded off with his family memories. Often filling two pages, the colorful, realistic paintings provide a clear picture of past and present as the pair try to decide if they should accept a stonemason's offer to buy the walls for reconstruction elsewhere. Rather didactic in tone, the book has a teacher's guide (subtitled Exploring Geology in the Classroom) by geologist Ruth Deike. While there is plenty here for inquiring minds, casual readers may be few, but imagine a unit on walls, complete with geology, history, art, and geography. Consider pairing this book with such titles as Frances Weller's luminous Matthew Wheelock's Wall (1992), Leonard Fisher's monolithic The Great Wall of China (1986, both Macmillan), and Margy Knight's Talking Walls (1992) and Talking Walls: The Stories Continue (1996, both Tilbury House), perhaps introduced by a reading of Frost's poem, "Mending Walls."-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY