Jibberwillies at Night by Rachel Vail

Illustrated by Yumi Heo. 32 p., Scholastic, 2008. Even for a happy kid like Katie, sometimes the Jibberwillies come at night. Katie is a competent child, and when that happens, she knows what to do. First, she whispers "go away." But they don't. So next, she tries thinking about nice things. But the Jibberwillies are still there. Having tried to solve the problem on her own, next, she calls her mother. Gentle and wise, her mother offers her a bucket to catch the Jibberwillies. But they're too fast and too slippery, and Katie can't catch them. She's discouraged and hopeless. But her mother has a plan. If Katie will say the Jibberwillies out loud, her mother will catch them in the bucket - and, since Katie suggests this, will throw them out the window. When they do this, Katie can sleep again. Exuberantly illustrated, this story shows kids that by using your creativity, and getting help when you need it, it's possible to feel safe even on scary nights. Ages 4-8

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