Jungle Gym Jitters

Synopsis

Jerry’s father is a creative genius, always thinking of ways to make life more interesting. But when he starts building a jungle gym that gets taller and taller, twisting all the way up to the sky, the soaring spectacle makes Jerry seriously squeamish.
Jerry’s jungle gym jitters get worse when he sees fearless friends and acrobatic animals hanging from tires and riding through tunnels. The overgrown obstacle course is scary enough for Jerry, but when a fire traps his daredevil sister in the towering contraption, only Jerry can save her. Can he summon the courage to rise to the occasion, or will the jungle gym jitters paralyze him?

Publishers Weekly

Richards debuts with this spectacularly illustrated, over-the-top tale about a boy whose father gets carried away with his aspirations for the backyard jungle gym. Sepia-toned artwork set against a 1950s backdrop (hula hoops and saddle shoes abound) spotlight young Jerry and a fear of heights that escalates in direct proportion to his sky-climbing jungle gym. Initial panels and two-page illustrations, framed in elegant ivory borders, reveal the inspirations for his father's outlandish handiwork: a trip to the donut shop results in the addition of tire swings, washing the car amidst a tangle of hoses leads to towering, slide-like chutes. "Jerry's worst nightmares would soon be outmatched/ by the tangle of tracks and long tunnels that scratched/ at the summery sky like some scribbly scrawl,/ with silvery loops that were sixty-feet tall." Dozens of acrobatic children and grown-ups barrel down the shiny curves in whimsical contraptions, including mechanized jungle animals, a pumpkin-wheeled bike and a winged canoe that swoop through the loops. The elaborate colored pencil and graphite drawings will reward readers who pore over the incredible details and exceptional perspectives. (Careful inspection reveals a character resembling Dr. Seuss's Grinch atop a sleigh pulled by an antler-topped dachshund.) The rhyming text at times feels a bit forced or rushed, which detracts from the extraordinary, painstakingly executed artwork. But youngsters will hope for much more from this imaginative artist's drawing board. Ages 4-9. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.