Elissa Haden Guest is the author of Baby Builders, illustrated by Hiroe Nakata and the award-winning Iris and Walter series illustrated by Christine Davenier. She holds an MFA in Children’s Literature from Hollins University and teaches classes in writing for children and young adults at College of Marin Community Education and Stanford Continuing Studies. She and her husband have two swell children and a hilarious little grandson. They live in San Francisco where they root for the Golden State Warriors.

I grew up in Greenwich Village, New York City. When I wasn’t tagging along with my older brothers, building forts out of sofa cushions or generally wreaking havoc, I spent hours playing with my dolls.

The village felt cozy to me with its crooked streets and low houses. When my family moved uptown, it felt as if we’d moved to the country. Riverside Park was around the corner and suddenly there was all this green space—all this room to run around.

Cherry trees blossomed in the spring. And, in the winter, you could see large chunks of ice floating down the Hudson River.

Once during a huge blizzard, my best friend and I trudged through the snow and into the park. We didn’t see another soul. It was thrilling! The snow kept falling and falling and we felt as if the whole city belonged to us alone.

I loved growing up in the city. I loved the playgrounds, parks and the freedom of running outside and exploring.

Now I live on the other side of the country. But I still love cherry trees. And now when I build forts and run all over the park, I have a wonderful new companion: my grandson.