Kukamba is a small girl in a Zimbabwe village who loves spending time with her grandmother, Gugu, an artist who forms huge animals and birds from clay. The little girl makes her own small animals, too, and is thrilled when her grandmother tells her she has the talent to be a fine artist someday. But she is crushed when the rains come and destroy her grandmother’s extraordinary creations. Gugu helps her understand what happened as part of nature’s cycle of constant renewal in a colorfully written, finely paced story set against full-page watercolor illustrations. Author/illustrator Catherine Stock explains in a note that the character of Gugu is based on her friend Mrs. Khosa, an artist and storyteller in Zimbabwe. A photograph of Mrs. Khosa on the inside jacket also features one of her amazing life-size clay animals. Highly Commended, 2002 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 5–8)