I'LL PROTECT YOU FROM THE JUNGLE BEASTS

Against a dreamy-soft brown background, Martha Alexander's pajama-ed child walks through the woods carrying his bear and reassuring Teddy that he's protected from the snakes, lion, hyena and any other beasts that might be lurking about. But as the noises get louder and closer and the path home less distinct, the boy's bravado gradually falls away and the bear reassuringly grows until he becomes the protector, finally picking up the boy and carrying him home to their own house and bed -- where Teddy by morning is again his own right size. As is this latest demonstration of the author/illustrator's gift for quietly communicating a small child's inner world.