In this companion to Below
, Jack and his beloved action figure, Guy, embark on several mild imaginary adventures, given a visual boost by the author's digitally manipulated photos. A bookcase framed by tropical vegetation becomes “a magical island to hunt dinosaurs,” and in a comic book–style spread (complete with whoosh! and zoom! sound effects) they save a city from aliens, as Jack makes a caped Guy fly around computer-generated urban backdrops. Guy dons a makeshift parachute for his final escapade—skydiving. After Jack tosses Guy in the air a few times, Guy gets stuck in a tree, and the boy enlists the help of his younger brother to retrieve him. White line drawings are superimposed on photos in several spreads, reflecting the boys' fears about what fate might befall Guy (“It could rain or snow. Wild animals could bother him”). Although this story about an action figure is perhaps a little short on action, Crews remains able to capture the way that the most everyday of locations—a patch of carpet, a brick path—are ample fodder for children's imaginations. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)
