An anxious little monkey finds that making a friend goes a long way toward easing his fears in a reassuring story with big appeal for young readers. Peanut, a monkey as small as a nut, has just come into the big, wide world. But the tiny monkey has one big problem: he's afraid of everything. When the petals on his tree start to droop and fall, Peanut thinks it's the end of the world. When the wind begins to blow, he fears that his tree is falling down. And when the setting sun glows brightly, he is sure the sky is on fire. At first Peanut is afraid of Beetle too, but as the two become friends, Beetle assures him there's no need to be frightened — especially now that there are two of them to face the world together. PreSchool-Grade 2—A monkey "as big as a pea" emerges from a flower. As he starts to explore his world, astonishment soon turns to fright. Peanut believes the buzzing insects are "wild animals of every sort." When it rains, he worries that the "sky is falling down," and when the sun sets, he frets, "The sky is on fire! And now the Big Light is going out!" At nightfall, the timid soul clings to a branch and declares, "It's the End of the World." While Peanut waits for the worst to happen, a polite beetle squeezes by, causing him to loosen his grip, fall, and ultimately let go of his fears as he grabs onto another twig with his tail and makes a new friend. When the next day dawns, Peanut awakens to the possibilities of the "magical forest" and enthusiastically invites Beetle to come along and explore. Lucas's luminous oil paintings are filled with warm colors and vivid textures. In the nighttime scenes, brightly patterned bugs stand out against a velvety black backdrop. Featuring a childlike main character, this is a winning tale of innocence and discovery.— Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ontario, Canada Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. David Lucas  is the author-illustrator of  Halibut Jackson ,  Whale , and  Nutmeg . He lives in London.