Ben's dreams are all nightmares . . . And his nightmares are real! Ben has a problem. When he sleeps he dreams, and when he dreams, they're all nightmares! But he can also jump into other people's dreams. So when his friends start falling victim to an evil dream-monster that prevents them from waking, Ben knows he has to help them. Easier said than done when dreams can shift and the monster knows his way around the ever-changing landscape of the mind! With help from a talking rabbit-companion who has a mysterious past, Ben might just be able to defeat the monster and save his friends . . . if he can figure out how to use the power within him against his enemies. Gr 5-8-Ben has a gift, or maybe it's a curse-he hasn't decided yet. He can jump into other people's dreams. Unfortunately, more often than not, he ends up jumping into someone's nightmare instead. When some of Ben's classmates, including the girl of his own dreams, fall prey to a sleeping sickness, he knows he may be the only one who can save them. It won't be easy, though; someone or something in the dream world wants Ben's abilities for his own and will stop at nothing to get them. Ben will have to work with some strange new companions and learn to navigate the dream world before it's too late. Being the first in a series, the story is a little heavy on exposition, but it does do a good job of making the information enjoyable and creating a believable dream world as well as setting the stage for volumes to come. Turnbloom's art is reminiscent of Jeff Smith's and suits the tone and the characters nicely. Though there are a few inconsistencies, Grunberg's characters are all interesting and enjoyable. This is a quick, entertaining tale that will find a middle school audience. VERDICT A fun ride for middle schoolers looking for their next series.-Erik Knapp, Davis Library, Plano, TXα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Ben has a gift. He can jump into other people’s dreams. So when his classmates start falling victim to an evil dream monster, he knows he has to do something. But can he get to them in time? With hold from a mysterious companion, Ben just might be able to defeat the monster and save his friends . . . if he can harness the power within. Greg Grunberg is best known for his roles in the award-winning series Heroes , Alias , and Felicity . Dream Jumper is his first graphic novel, which was inspired by dreams described by his son, Ben. Greg lives in Los Angeles, California. Lucas Turnbloom is an award-winning cartoonist, author and illustrator who's best known for his comic strip, "Imagine THIS." He was a contributing artist for Darkhorse's Axe Cop graphic novel series. His work has also appeared in USA Today , and TIME.com . Lucas currently resides in San Diego.