THE MAN IN THE CEILING by...

THE MAN IN THE CEILING by Jules Feiffer (Harper Trophy: $5.95; 186 pp., illustrated). Jimmy, the adolescent hero of this Roald Dahl-esque juvenile novel, is an aspiring comic book artist: He draws death-defying adventures for himself and his warm, Indiana Jones-esque father. However, Jimmy’s real father is considerably more distant, confused by a son who fails to meet his expectations. His impractical Uncle Lester, an aspiring playwright, teaches Jimmy the valuable lesson, “The only way to be a beautiful swan is, you start out as an ugly duckling. And you get through it,” in an excellent story to read aloud.