Jitterbug Jam

by Barbara Jean Hicks; Pictures by Alexis Deacon

• ISBN13: 9780374336851
• ISBN10: 0374336857
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2005-03-11
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Summary

What does this monster have under his bed? Bobo is a young monster who's afraid to sleep in his own bed. He is sure there is a boy hiding beneath it - a boy with "pink skin and orange fur on his head where his horns should be." Bobo's older brother thinks he's a fraidy-cat, but his grandpa, Boo-Dad, knows all about these fearful creatures. And Boo-Dad knows exactly what to do to scare them away. But after being afraid for so long, Bobo might just want to take matters into his own paws and find out if the creature under his bed really is as bad as he thinks. This rambunctious story of a youngster overcoming anxiety and limitations is set in a captivating otherworld that springs to life in pictures full of enchantment and surprise.

Author Biography

Barbara Jean Hicks lives in Seattle, Washington, where
she is author-in-residence at an elementary school. This is her
first book for children.

Alexis Deacon's previous book, Beegu, was a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year. He lives in London, England.

Table of Contents

"This will have young readers, timorous or otherwise, flocking to it 'quick as lickety-split 'n' spit-fish.'" -- Starred, Kirkus Reviews

"Printed on luxurious, buff-colored paper, Deacon's line-and-watercolor artwork unites cleverly altered Victorian decorative elements...with the striking, varied design of contemporary graphic novels. First-time writer Hicks' folksy, slightly off-kilter language...keeps the sense of an exotic, alternate reality watertight. Nighttime worriers will be reassured and amused by this charming visit to the other side of the closet wall."
-- Starred, Booklist

"A fully realized world where everything is opposite expectations yet utterly familiar. With plenty of scope for the storyteller's vocal talent and with illustrations to savor, this is a book to fall into over and over again." -- Starred, Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The colloquial voice and uncanny illustrations create a slightly surreal, dreamy ambiance, and the reassuring conclusion respects Bobo's (or anyone's) fear of the unknown." -- Publishers Weekly

"The art is beautiful." -- School Library Journal

"A monster story with a twist . . . engaging." -- The New York Times Book Review