Jim's Lion

Gr 4–6—Jim lies sick in the hospital, afraid that he won't survive his upcoming operation. Nurse Bami assures him that everyone has a "finder" to guide them through their dreams and that Jim's finder will bring him back from wherever the doctors send him. That night, Jim dreams of a lion; he has met his guide. This is a spare allegory, and Deacon's illustrations complement and extend the brief text. Many of his images offer additional layers to the narrative, depicting dreams that are not mentioned by the author and giving readers a clue about Nurse Bami's own finder. A 2001 version of this story (Candlewick) features detailed, realistic pencil and pastel illustrations by Ian Andrew. Unlike Andrews' gentle interpretation, Deacon's lion is powerful and frightening, and the watercolor illustrations depict an uncertain world with shaky lines and a muted palette spiked with increasing amounts of blood red. The art highlights the feverish terror of Jim's dreams, in which pipes morph into snakes, rain falls as blood, and tree roots become multitudes of grasping arms, as red as pumping veins. The enemy is always shifting and adapting, and Deacon's sophisticated art does not hide the fact that Jim is very close to dying. The unique story and remarkable art warrant this a place in library collections, though it's difficult to pinpoint the audience. The content may be upsetting for young readers, but seem childish for older children and teens. This graphic novel-style work will best fit in middle grade collections, and may even appeal to parents.—Lisa Goldstein, Brooklyn Public Library