"Me, Toma and the Concrete Wall" - a bookwrap

Please join these two boys, Vincent and Toma, as they tell their story.  Through their friendship and playtime together they totally change the landscape around them into one that everyone at their barren complex can enjoy.   They display awesome teamwork.  This is a  huge success story indeed. 

Unwrapping

• Me, Toma and the Concrete Garden
  
  
  Authored by Andrew Larsen
  Illustrated by Anne Villeneuve
  
  
  * Age Range:  5-6
  * Grade Level: PS-2
  * Hardcover: 32 pages
  * Publisher:  Kids Can Press
  * Pub. Date:  May 7, 2019
  * Language: English
  
  
  
  
  
  Unwrapping some great illustrations for you
  
  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  

  
  
  Unveiling the story
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Vincent must spend the summer with his aunt Mimi while his mother is hospitalized.  He stumbles upon some dirt balls on Aunt Mimi's balcony and she encourages him and his new found friend Toma to dispose of them somehow as they are totally useless to her.  The boys create a game where they toss these unavailing dirt blobs over a wall into an abandoned, litter-cluttered, fenced-in lot that is right in the middle of the housing project. Can't hurt anything there with these dirt bombs can they?   
  
  Then a magical transformation occurs.  The boys and the neighbours soon learn that these are not just any old balls of dirt, in fact they are full of rich seeds that start to sprout.   They alter that desolate piece of land into something beautiful and inviting for everyone in the community to enjoy.    Everyone takes ownership  and a wonderful gathering place ensues.  
  
  The illustrations add such richness to the text as they start out with more neutral muted colours and end up with vibrant colours as the garden evolves.  This is a wonderful book to connect kids with nature, give them a sense of pride in helping out their community and watching a friendship between two boys take root.   I highly recommend this book. 
  
  
  
  
  

  Storywrap Rating -  5 +++ HUGS!!!!!

  
  

  
  

  

  
  
  
  

  
  
  

  Meet the author

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  Andrew Larsen lives in a neighborhood in Toronto that has tall trees, old houses and lots of stories. He lives with his wife and two children. Sometimes Andrew goes looking for stories and sometimes stories come looking for him.

  Andrew was born in Montreal and lived there until he was 12. He has also lived in Halifax, Ottawa and London, England.

  As a young boy, Andrew dreamed of being a hockey player. His first job was delivering newspapers to the houses in his neighborhood. He has had many jobs over the years, but once he started a family, Andrew discovered his true calling: he became a stay-at-home dad and started writing stories. He still loves to skate.

  Andrew spends his days cooking, cleaning, daydreaming and writing. He often visits schools and libraries, where he encourages children to discover their own stories. Facebook: authorandrewlarsen

  Twitter: @larsenesque

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  About the illustrator

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

  Anne Villeneuve was born in Montreal in 1966. As far as she can recall, she's always held a crayon or a brush in her hands. She tries to draw every day, even on vacation, curious of her surroundings and eager to observe every aspect of her environment. Her passion for images and storytelling was the starting point for her career as author and illustrator, which she has been fulfilling for over 25 years.

  Anne has written and illustrated close to 40 books, created games for magazines, illustrated for newspapers and designed cake boxes for a bakery. She's also worked on “scenography” for Cirque du Soleil shows, murals for soft drinks and posters for the Dairy Farmers of Canada. Over the years, her work has earned her many distinguished recognitions, such as the Governor General's Literary Award and the Québec/Wallonie-Bruxelles Literary Award in 2000, the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award in 2005 and 2009, and the Mr. Christie's Book Award in 1998. She's met with hundreds of kids across Canada, with whom she's shared her passion for literature and art. She now teaches watercolor and drawing at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.
  The artists she looks up to are Matisse, Klee, Riopelle and Basquiat. She lives in Montreal, where she shares her home with her husband, daughter and two lazy cats.
  
  
  
  
  
  

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