JITTERBUG JAM

In a story aimed at bedtime fears, a young monster named Bobo is scared of the boy who hides under his bed. Norm Lee takes a book that's difficult to read, with its combination of text and dialogue balloons, and does an excellent job with it-his voice grows louder, then softer; higher, then lower; speeds up, then slows down as Bobo's emotions shift from fear to courage to determination to confront the boy, and happiness at finding a friend. Although readers can follow the story without the book, they lose a large sense of the alternate world and the overall themes without the award-winning illustrations. Kudos to Norm Lee--a tough job well done. W.L.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 07]