REVIEWS Every night Billy's mom tried to cover up his belly button, and every night he resists…until the Belly Button Beastie steals it! Now Billy must trick the BBB into returning his belly button.

Inspired by a Japanese Folktale, Bobby and Sherry Norfolk have created not only a very cute readable but also very tellable folktale with illustrations that just pop. Billy Brown's name is even fun to say and the story reverberates with the creative energy that both Bobby and Sherry evoke in their own storytelling styles. There are sound effects. There are funny illustrations. The Belly Button Beastie's chant is a storyteller's delight as he snatches Billy Brown's belly button. Billy Brown's best friends try to help figure it out and I can just see the authors, both of whom I know, animatedly telling all the things that were stuffed into the belly button hole to plug it up. Wait until you read the book to see what finally worked to plug up the hole. I give this one a 10 out of 10. Good to have in any library, grandparent's house, baby gift, day care center and storyteller's library.

The Belly Button Beastie has stolen Billy Brown's perfectly round, brown belly button. Brown and the Belly Button Beastie by Bobby and Sherry Norfolk is a silly story about a little boy who doesn't listen to his mom when she warns him to keep the covers up while he sleeps. Written for young children, ages 4 to 5, the Norfolk's have created a hilariously brilliant bedtime story that will delight children and their parents. The Story Night after night, Billy Brown lies in bed and, after a twist and a turn, kicks the covers off his bed. His mother warns him about catching a cold if he doesn't keep the covers up, but Billy Brown still twists and turns and kicks off the covers. Finally, his mother warns him that, if he doesn't keep the covers on at night, the Belly Button Beastie will come along and steal his belly button. Ha! Billy Brown is nearly certain that his mom is telling a tall tale. That night he twists and turns and kicks off the covers. Fast asleep, Billy Brown never hears the Belly Button Beastie come into his room. He never feels the Belly Button Beastie steal his belly button right off his perfectly brown belly. The next morning Billy Brown gets out of bed and goes to the kitchen. He pours himself a glass of milk and begins to drink it. All of a sudden he feels something cold and wet leak out of his belly. The milk is pouring right out of his belly button hole! Billy Brown doesn't know what to do. He can't tell his mom about his missing belly button because he doesn't want to admit that she was right. Billy Brown dresses and goes to school. He shows his friends his missing belly button and they try to help him close the belly button hole. They use tape, bubblegum, and even worms to stop up the belly button hole, but nothing stays. Finally, one of Billy Brown's friends hands him a piece of chocolate. It matches Billy Brown's skin color and looks almost exactly like Billy Brown's perfect belly button, but it smells a whole lot better. Suddenly, Billy Brown has an idea. He is going to trick the Belly Button Beastie into giving him back his real belly button. Fun Bedtime Story Available in May 2008, Billy Brown and the Belly Button Beastie is one of those books that your child will want you to read over and over again. The giggles and yucks throughout the entire belly button hunt are memories in the making.