The author noted that she grew up in a small village in Italy where her family gathered every year to crush the grapes at harvest time.  This story is about Claudia, a small girl in Italy whose family owns a vineyard.  She’s afraid of heights and is reluctant to climb the ladder to the roof where the big barrel is placed for crushing grapes.  With gentle support from her family, Claudia is able to join the other children in the grape stomping.  She ends up delighting in the task and overcomes her fears.  The harvest celebration culminates in a big Italian family feast until the exhausted Claudia cuddles in for a well-deserved afternoon nap on Grandma’s tall bed.  This picture book was an interesting read, particularly with the author’s cultural connectivity and use of Italian words (glossary included) sprinkled throughout the story.  The illustrations were bright and colorful, depicting the beautiful Italian countryside.