The collection—cover art and inside illustrations by my daughter, R.E. Anderson—includes the whimsical “How to Make a Grumpy Boy Smile”... “I Love Me Best”... “A Herd of Turtles in a Cloud of Heifer Dust”... and my personal favorite “The Girl with the Bow in Her Hair.”

There are encounters with raccoons (“Could We Be Friends?”), a nod to the U.S. presidential election (“She Can Be President, Too”), encouragement of healthy lifestyle choices (“Kale Salad”), and more. And there is a helpful glossary of word definitions at the end.

I loved writing these poems and am so grateful to Kelsay Books for publishing the collection. Most important of all, I am glad to know that parents and children will be sitting down together with The Galloping Garbage Truck—reading, laughing, and learning.