Jonathan James and the Whatif Monster

PreS-K—This picture book about a child who conquers his fears barely manages to avoid didacticism. The voice of the Whatif Monster, a small green creature with pointed teeth, fills Jonathan James's head with worry and doubt when he tries something new. "What if it's hard?/What if you're bad?/What if they laugh and/make you feel sad?" The rhyming text scans well at the beginning, but falters and sometimes feels forced as the story comes to a conclusion. Jonathan James questions the Whatif Monster: "And what if baseball is nothing but fun,/and I end up hitting a triple home run?" The bold, color illustrations are flat, and the faces of the children are lifeless. The ending, in which the boy finds a best friend after taking a chance, is satisfying and the lesson is a good one, but the book is too lacking in style and consistent charm to recommend.—Maralita L. Freeny, District of Columbia Public Library