Andrew Larsen

Poppa's move to an apartment brings his gardening to an end-- until granddaughter Theo comes up with an idea to grow a new, imaginary garden!

"Theo's Poppa was an explorer. He had been everywhere. He kept an old trunk packed with the pictures, postcards, maps and menus that he had collected on his adventures. Someday, Theo wants to be an explorer, too. For now, it's Poppa's birthday, and Theo has planned a special trip to the beach with him to celebrate. They plot out their course on a map they've drawn and then take the streetcar to the local beach, where they stroll in the sand, hunt...

"The story itself is simple. Boy gets up, boy goes to school, boy comes home from school, boy goes to bed. Boy seems a bit grumpy, until the end of the day when he comes home to his cat, who he clearly loves. The boy's story is told in a traditional picture book style--in the meantime, the cat's story is told in graphic panels. Throughout the entire book, the boy tells the reader how much he dislikes stories, all kinds of stories inspired by his surroundings...

Left alone in his tree house, a young boy reminisces about the times he used to spend in the tree house with his older brother. When the power goes out and a block party begins to take form, the boy considers joining in on the fun until his brother makes a surprise appearance.

It's Sally's first day of puppy school, and she can't wait. There's all sorts of other dogs at school, and so many smells to smell. Sally may be easily distracted, but she learns that if she listens to the teacher, she'll get a treat.

A girl enjoys spending time at the beach each summer, where she always knows exactly what to except and nothing ever changes. That is, until a new boy arrives, and then spending time with a new friend becomes another good thing to look forward to.

Charlie and his dad see a parade of their neighbors going to their local park. Following them, they discover all the commotion was all about a pile of dirt--but a man in a green uniform explains that this is rich compost, not just any dirt. Together, Charlie and his dad learn about the virtues of compost.

"'You can write about anything, as long as you write about you.' A young boy listens as Mr. Lopez explains the class's assignment: write about yourself. Marcus is going to write about his hat collection. Alia is going to write about the vampires she talks about all the time. The boy, however, doesn't have any ideas beyond a title: 'The Story of Me by Me.' His sister suggests making lists as a way to start--Thinks I Like, Things I Know. But the things...