THE DOVE

In the South African province of Natal, when heavy rains and floods delay spring planting, Grandmother Maloko makes key rings and necklaces of beads. She and Lindi take the train to Durban, where they find that shopkeepers already have too many beaded souvenirs; even at the beachfront, tourists buy almost nothing. Next day, Lindi suggests making a fabric dove, representing one that came to their home after the storm. The beaded dove is unusual enough to sell, with orders for more; now there will be enough money for food until the harvest. The touch of allegory lies lightly on this quiet, gracefully told story of hard times, taken in stride as normal by these black South Africans. In Daly's spare, carefully crafted illustrations, backgrounds are generalized in evocative watercolor while figures dressed in bead-bright colors are rendered in a faux-naif style, with subtly expressive gestures but little individualization. An attractive import. (Picture book. 4-8)