COCO GRIMES

Another exquisitely crafted visit with Thomas and his grandfather (Stealing Home, 1992). Thomas receives some memorable birthday gifts: a ball hit by Bobby Bonilla in a spring training game; a blank journal from Great-Aunt Linzy (Grandfather suggests that he close each entry with a Pepysian ``And so to bed.'' And so he does); a mouth-watering homemade chocolate-and-apricot butter cake from Grandfather; and later, an awed interview with Coco Grimes, irascible 90+ veteran of the Negro Baseball League. As usual, Stolz's characters are simply drawn but never superficially realized; they work and speak together in an atmosphere of mutual respect freshened by understated humor and a thoughtful appreciation for both the pleasures of the moment and those that endure. A rich, wise, and tender story from a treasured writer. (Fiction. 9-12)