The classic tale of an imaginative child wondering just what might be under his bed is now told in a brand-new way. Fenton's bold and distinctive illustrations combine with short, sweet text for a truly unique style. Full color. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Fenton channels the dark humor of Edgar and Ellen and other creepsters in his first picture book. Putting himself to bed, Fred cannot stop worrying about creatures that might be lurking beneath it. Employing a very simple AB rhyme scheme, the book is a litany of Fred's fears. Is it tall? Or rather small? Fred, his haplessness signaled by the oversize glasses he wears even to sleep, finally summons the courage to peer under the bed and, predictably, finds his teddy bear, Ted. The ending suggests that Fred will spend the night awake anyway. What's that noise? What's that sound?/ Is there something on the ground? Although the text feels obvious, the cartoon art shaded b&w drawings, with one additional spot of color per spread is highly effective as it mimics the odd, shadowy perspectives and strange angles a child sees when peering around a dark room. White googly-eyes pop from the pages, and the hairy hungry creatures Fred imagines are at once scary and, for the stouthearted, humorous. Ages 3 7. (Sept.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

K-Gr 2 Fred is a reluctant sleeper who prefers playing with his teddy bear to putting his head to the pillow. Once he's under the covers, his imagination runs wild and he frets, "Could there be something under my bed?" Readers paying close attention to detail will notice his teddy falling to the floor. As Fred's worries take shape, he wonders, "Is it fat? Or is it thin?/Does it have a very big grin?/Does it have long nails?/Could it have two tails?" The pithy rhyming verse is complemented by atmospheric black-and-white mixed-media illustrations. The boy has a small body topped by a large round head, and pinpoint eyes and comma-shaped eyebrows peer through oversize glasses that obscure most of his face, giving him a deer-in-the-headlights look that accentuates his emotions. Splashes of red highlight the hairy fantasy creature that grows in proportion to his anxiety. Summoning his inner strength, the youngster finally looks under the bed, finding that "Hey, it's only Ted!" His relief is short-lived as he continues to speculate: "What's that noise? What's that sound?/Is there something on the ground?" With its up-in-the-air ending and shiver-inducing illustrations, this book probably won't totally alleviate monster fears, but it will be enjoyed by fans of spooky tales. Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information