Jumpy Jack is a nervous snail that is afraid of monsters. He has a friend named Googily that checks everywhere they go for scary monsters to make sure none are about. Googily is a very good friend, but Jumpy Jack doesn't realize he is a monster!

This book displays good acts of friendship and kindness. It even shows some amount of bravery in a way. I liked this book because it can teach kids to be friends with everyone and not to discriminate, even towards monsters!

This would be a good book to read to small children that are afraid of monsters. It would also be a good way to teach students how to be friends with everyone and not to "judge a book by its cover."

Jumpy Jack the snail is terrified there are monsters everywhere despite the reassuring words and actions of his friend Googily, who is a…guess. Jumpy Jack has rather big goggle eyes himself and is a bit scary. The ink and watercolor illustrations are amusing and the story is rather tongue-in-cheek, especially for the grown-up reading it aloud. This book was named to the School Library Journal’s Best [picture] Books 2008 list. ( )

What a charmer this picture book is. Scores very high on the giggle-meter with my gang. Jumpy Jack is a snail of the most nervous sort. As lovably neurotic anthropomorphizations go, Jack's right up there with Piglet, friend of Pooh. Fortunately, Jumpy Jack has his best friend Googily to put his mind to rest when the monster-worries creep in. Jack fears monsters are lurking at every turn—monsters with big round eyes and sharp teeth and lolling tongues and possibly even creepy bowler hats. Googily—he's the amiable fellow in blue you see there—is a little puzzled by Jack's boogieman complex, but he's always happy to help soothe his pal's fears by taking a peek into the corners Jack's sure are hiding fearsome monsters.

In the end, we find that Googily has a fear of his own—and apparently with better reason than Jumpy Jack! The surprise ending elicited belly laughs from my seven- and two-year-olds.

I really love this sweet and simple picture book. It's fresh and funny, and the art is enchanting, and the text holds up well to numerous re-readings, which is a quality I very much watch for in a young picture book. If I'm going to have to read it aloud five times a day, it's got to be readable.

But beyond that, I appreciate the way the plot plays with the idea that people can create monsters in their minds, terrifying specters composed of stereotypes, while being oblivious to the fact that the generalizations they are throwing around so carelessly might very well include real people they know and love. ( )

This book is funny, and the illustrations are great. A snail is scared of monsters even though his best friend is a monster. But I feel like it could have been edited a little better--it felt long and drawn out while reading it out loud. ( )