JUBAL’S WISH

The Woods really crank up the wattage for this joy-filled tale of a frog who finds a way to share his bliss. So filled with joie de vivre that his feet barely touch the ground, Jubal invites harried Gerdy Toad, her seven hyperactive toadlets, and Dalbert Lizard, captain of the shabby old Molly Bee, to share a picnic—but Gerdy snaps at him, and Dalbert’s too consumed with melancholy for the good old days. No sooner does Jubal wish that his friends could be as happy as he than, lo and behold, along comes a wizard to grant that wish, though warning that wishes sometimes have surprising ways of working out. The high-intensity illustrations trumpet visual cues to the story’s changing moods; luxuriant banks of flowers along the path darken with the skies when Jubal’s friends still show no signs of change, and as he himself sinks into gloom the rain begins falling—so much rain that Jubal suddenly finds himself in danger of being swept away. To the rescue comes Molly Bee, steered by a reinvigorated Dalbert and sailed by smiling Gerdy and her energetic crew. Off they all sail on a grand adventure, beneath clearing skies and a glowing rainbow. Like their classic Napping House (1984) and King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub (1985), this is a mesmerizing combination of clever, broadly tongue-in-cheek storytelling and elaborate, stylish art. (Picture book. 6-9)