Don't Look Now

In this near-wordless, comic book–style picture book, Briant offers an action-filled story about two brothers whose pranks and play take a turn toward the fantastic. Initially, each boy tries to steal something (a toy sailboat, a tricycle) from his brother by convincing his sibling that there is something terrifying behind him—a giant serpent (actually a garden hose), a dragon (a small bird). The repeated refrain, “Don't look now but there's a...,” takes on new meaning, however, when the earth splits beneath the boys, dropping them into a strange world of blue trees and actual (though none-too-scary) monsters. Briant's cartoony characters, human and monster alike, convey plenty of emotion, though there's little difference in personality between the boys—neither is more angry, scared or resourceful than the other. The picaresque plot—including a multiple-monster chase scene—keeps the pages turning until the boys return home safely, just in time for bed (Briant thematically grounds the fantasy by picturing their room filled with toys and books that have obviously inspired their imaginative trip). The boys' adventures may be outlandish, but their fraternal interactions are true to life. Ages 4–8. (May)