The Box

It's a schoolyard rumble: dreary realism vs. unbridled imagination! (One guess as to which one triumphs.) Even if the %E2%80%A8conclusion is never in doubt, first-timer Janssens makes getting there a world of fun, largely due to his three-dimensional sculptures that bring to life the invented adventures of a boy named Kenny. A snooty dweeb named Leo is so busy showing off his shiny new bike that he runs right into the cardboard box that Kenny occupies on the playground. "Why are you sitting in that silly box?" yells Leo, prompting Kenny to launch into a story in which the box transforms into a race car, mountaintop cabin, hot air balloon, and more (Leo, meanwhile, is repeatedly recast as the villain). At each juncture, Leo shouts his protests ("That's impossible!"), but the kids%E2%80%94and Leo, eventually%E2%80%94are won over by Kenny's storytelling. Like his hero, Janssens has a strong sense of whimsy (parsley sprigs form a cluster of trees, cellophane becomes the ocean's churning waves); with bright eyes, a wide smile, and a haircut that's all cowlicks, Kenny is every ounce the dreamer. Ages 3%E2%80%936. (Dec.)