POPPY'S CHAIR

At Gramm's house for her first long visit since ``Poppy'' died, Leah is sad and uneasy: she's afraid to look at his picture, unwilling to sing the song they shared, and conscious of the familiar chair that, in unspoken agreement, she and Gramm are both avoiding. Hesse (the fine Letters from Rifka, 1992) skillfully chooses details that reveal her characters' feelings while epitomizing their loss. Leah remains aloof during a day's shopping; that night, concerned for Gramm, she finds her sleeping in Poppy's chair. In a comforting dialogue that is both believable and wise, Gramm tells Leah how terrible, even angry, she felt when Poppy died—as Leah will when Gramm eventually dies too; still, like Gramm, Leah will be ``all right.'' Gramm is especially well individualized, the kind of white-haired lady whose hat, gloves, and shoes all match; Life, who uses pastels to depict the pair in an accessible, realistic style, brings a commendable subtlety to both sympathetic characterizations. Thoughtful and well crafted. (Picture book. 5-8)