Andrew's Own Place by Nancy Riecken is about a very young boy who cherishes routine. He has a special chair in which he sits to eat his morning oatmeal from his Vitamin Pals bowl. His toothbrush is the sparkley purple one. His carseat with the soft blue blanket is his place in the family van. So when his routine is disrupted by a family outing, Andrew gets anxious.
The family drives to a wooded area to picnic and hike. Andrew asks to watch the woods rather than enter them. Andrew's breakfast is a sandwich, not his usual oatmeal. His family is gently reassuring, so Andrew goes along with with everything. When his father and two siblings enter a cave, I too get anxious. Since when is it ok for kids to explore a cave? Andrew cries that he can't go in there and I'm with him. He and his mother wait outside the cave until Andrew worries they need help. He stands at the opeing and calls for his father and sisters. They reappear and Andrew is relieved, so relieved that "the deep woods seemed pretty".
Meg Kelleher Aubrey's watercolor illustrations drew my attention to the book. She captures Andrew's expressions preceisely.
