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Sam is an adorable new character whom preschoolers are sure to identify with. In this debut story, Sam thinks of himself as the bravest kid at school and calls his friends Max a scaredy-cat. But when Sam is scared by a spider, it's Max who saves the day. Now Sam does have something to be afraid of--what if Max tells everyone that it's really Sam who's the scaredy-cat?

Expressive, soft-edged illustrations capture the reassuring theme that everyone is afraid of something--it's how you face your fear that makes you brave.

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Sam feels fearless compared to Max who is afraid of climbing trees and watching scary movies, until Sam learns that everyone is afraid of something.

PreS-Gr 2 Sam acts very brave around his friends, going down the slide headfirst and standing on the swings. However, although he would never admit it to his buddies, he is scared at bedtime and worries about monsters and ghosts hiding in his room. One day, when a gigantic hairy spider with extra-long legs lands on his hand, he begins to cry in front of his pal Max. That night, Sam is afraid that Max will tell everyone about his reaction and call him Scaredy-cat Sam. His father calmly explains that everyone is scared of something, helping him confront his night anxieties as well as his concern about his peers. With Dad's encouragement, Sam gains a new confidence and is no longer afraid of being called a scaredy-cat. Goossens's bright-hued, fuzzy-edged oil illustrations exude charm and the exuberance of the animal characters. Although the subject is not original, both text and art deftly reflect the targeted age group, and youngsters will relate to Sam's plight, making the book a sound selection for discussing fears.Piper L. Nyman, formerly at Fairfield Civic Center Library, CA

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