The Wildest Brother by Cornelia Funke, illustrated by Kerstin Meyer.

Due out in May 2006.

Ben is a boy who sometimes wakes up as a knight, or a wolf, or a monster.  When he is a monster, he paints scars on his body with his older sister’s makeup.  Though you expect her to be furious, she gets revenge by tickling him.  He sometimes has to protect her from a man-eating monster.  She has to hide in the wardrobe without giggling, so that he can save her.  Ben fights all sorts of fearsome creatures throughout the day, protecting his sister.  But guess who is his protector when he is scared at night! 

This is a charming story of a brother and sister relationship.  Best of all is the twist at the end where the sister is the strong and brave one.  The illustrations are cartoon-like and add to the fun, showing Ben’s vivid imagination at work.  Funke’s text is just the right length for the audience of preschoolers and kindergarteners who have vivid imaginations of their own.  Put this one on your list for both sibling storytimes and ones on imaginations.