No child is a stranger to boredom. Sebastian, however, takes matters into his own hands. Tired of staring at the dull houses on his street, he decides to construct a balloon out of his grandmother's afghans and quilts. He loads "all the things he would ever need" into the box attached to the balloon and flies away to meet new friends. A belligerent bear who enjoys pickle sandwiches, a penitent stork, three elderly sisters and a small bird become his companions in the overflowing box. Stead's characters display an array of emotions as they travel and work together. He uses color to highlight the mood of each scene. A former teacher, Jennifer Minicus is a full-time wife and mother living in Ridgewood, NJ.