Böcker av Andrew Larsen

A picture book about what we throw away, and why it might be worth keeping!What if everywhere you looked, you saw something to make? Instead of seeing something broken, you saw something to fix? Instead of seeing something to throw out, you saw something to give away? This is how Nelson Molina sees the world. A former employee for the New York City sanitation department, Nelson saved over 45,000 objects from the garbage to fix and show his community through his museum, Treasures in the Trash.Explore the hidden potential in what we often discard and think differently about consumption, waste, and the impact of small actions. With themes of upcycling, anti-consumerism, love for community, and finding joy, Gifts from the Garbage Truck inspires kids to think creatively and curiously about what they do (and don't) throw away!Often, Nelson came across oddly shaped garbage bags.They clinked and clanked and jingled and jangled.Is there something more than garbage in here? Nelson would wonder. Is there something someone might love?"I knew it!" he'd exclaim, tearing the bag open and discovering a new gift from the trash. Nelson didn't throw the objects into the back of the truck with everything else.He had a better idea.

In this poignant story from Andrew Larsen, a child spends time with a beloved grandmother during her final days and experiences love that will last a lifetime. When Grandma gets sick and comes to stay at her grandchild’s house, she brings her bird feeder. Grandma loves birds. And the child loves the time they now get to have together, drawing pictures of birds and “talking about interesting things.” After a while, though, Grandma’s health declines, and she moves to the hospice. Hanging Grandma’s bird feeder outside the window there makes things better. After a while, though, Grandma continues to grow weaker, and her ability to interact lessens. Difficult as it is, the child adjusts, knowing that, while the situation keeps changing, their love for each other never wavers. Award-winning author Andrew Larsen beautifully captures the special bond between a child and a grandparent, and sensitively deals with a child’s loss of a loved one. Using the motif of their shared love of birds and its physical manifestation in the form of the bird feeder allows for a continuity in the child’s life that puts the loss in a larger context. Larsen offers an authentic, straightforward presentation of the process of a loved one’s death, from being sick, to going to the hospice, to participating less and less in their relationship, to death. It will lead young readers to ask their own questions about life, death and how we remember those who die. The cool palette and simple lines in Dorothy Leung’s art evoke empathy for the child’s experience, while the presence of the birds adds life and hope to the visual story.

¿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 all seem disconnected. Is there a way to tie them all together?Finally, a kid's-eye guide to writing! Perfect inspiration for every child to start their very own ¿Story of Me¿!