Time to Get Out

Spyglass in hand, Captain Nick sails to a mysterious and delightfully improbable island in this sweetly comic journey into the imagination. As he makes his way through a lush jungle, the swashbuckler encounters a series of noisy creatures--crocodile, monkey and two highly unmusical panthers--each attempting to drown out the sounds of the others. Testa ( If You Take a Pencil ; Wolf's Favor ) details the mounting suspense as Captain Nick, now attired in khaki and an explorer's sun hat, bravely traces the original offending noise to a vigorously erupting volcano. (The mock-epic quality of the story is reinforced by Testa's cheery watercolors, which feature cartoon-faced characters and lots of color.) But after a daring rescue of his animal friends, Nick's small boat capsizes on the high seas . . . just as the valiant captain's mother orders him out of the bathtub in the winning surprise ending. The book's final spread reveals the inspiration for Nick's adventure: the trusty boat and benignly ferocious animals are Nick's toys; the rocky island is a floating sponge and the fierce volcano a decoration adorning an oversize bath towel. Ages 3-up. (Aug.)