My Grandpa and the Sea

June 5, 1990
Lila, the narrator of this warm story, tells of her Grandpa, who ``had never been to school, but he was very wise. He could read the sea and the sky like most of us read books.'' Grandpa lives on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia and, for years, has fished from his small wooden boat, Fancy Lady . But when a new generation of fishermen using larger, more sophisticated boats begin robbing the sea of fish, the disheartened old man is forced to find another way of earning his livelihood. The discovery of a new business--seamoss farming--enables him to continue to work on the sea, the one place that makes him happy. Using gentle, poetic language and rich imagery, Lila shares with readers the many important ``things about the heart'' that Grandpa has taught her. Orr is a talented artist and an accomplished writer. Perfectly synchronized with the poignant text, her primitive, brilliantly hued pictures depict the many moods of the sea and the tropics. Ages 5-9.