Dancing on Grapes

Claudia can't wait to take part in the annual grape harvest in her Tuscan village. The harvest means hard work, and Claudia's whole family pitches in to gather grapes from the vineyard. But there's plenty of opportunity for fun, too, now that she's old enough to join her cousins crushing grapes in the big tub. Unfortunately, the tub sits high atop the cantina, and Claudia is afraid of heights. Within the warm embrace of her large family, Claudia musters the courage to climb the tall ladder to the roof, where she celebrates with a joyful dance on the grapes. This endearing story is based on the author's memories of her own Tuscan childhood. Gina Capalid's warm illustrations beautifully evoke life on an Italian vineyard in the 1950's.