The not-so-faraway adventure

In this sequel to The Imaginary Garden (2009), Theo, a young Asian American girl, is intrigued by a trunkful of Poppa's souvenirs from his days as an explorer. To celebrate Poppa's upcoming birthday, Theo suggests an outing reminiscent of previous celebrations he once shared with Theo's Nana. Poppa and Theo take a streetcar to get to a beach where a world of blue opens up before them, have a quiet time in the sand, eat gazpacho at a nearby restaurant, and then board the streetcar for home, where Theo's parents have a little birthday surprise for Poppa. Vibrant collage illustrations with abundantly detailed backgrounds and easy-to-spot characters expertly capture the essence of this quiet, not-so-exotic adventure. The beach scene may cause some slight puzzlement Theo and Poppa pretend the body of water is the ocean, but it's never made clear what it actually is. In spite of that, there are many delightful moments, and the loving camaraderie of the two adventurers alone is worth the trip.--Enos, Randall Copyright 2016 Booklist

PreS-Gr 2-Theo and Poppa, introduced in The Imaginary Garden (Kids Can, 2009), return for a new adventure, this time celebrating Poppa's birthday. Theo has always been amazed by Poppa's magical trunk. Inside he keeps all the treasures and maps from the places he has traveled. Theo decides she will take Poppa on a new adventure, to the beach and out to lunch, just like Nana always did for his birthday. They have a great day, saying hello to strangers as they pass, eating gazpacho soup, and putting their feet in the water. Luxbacher's mixed-media collagelike artwork is vibrant, engaging, and creative. Children will love looking at the multifaceted spreads as well as at the colorful characters. VERDICT This is a sweet and visually appealing story about a girl and her love for her grandfather.-Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.