Reviews: (by author)

Feiffer, Jules. The Man in the Ceiling. Harper Collins, 1993. $7.95. ISBN 0-06-205907-6. 185 pp.

Jimmy Jibbet draws his father to look like Indiana Jones, an expert woodsman. Jimmy’s real father does not look like Indiana Jones, nor is he an expert woodsman. In his comics, Jimmy’s father does not say much, but he is supportive and strong. In real life, Jimmy’s father does not say much, but he can’t understand why Jimmy draws so much. He cannot relate to Jimmy’s art, nor does he see any point to drawing. Jimmy’s real father does not want Jimmy to turn out to be a flop like his Uncle Lester. Uncle Lester writes plays in hopes of one day bringing one of them to Broadway, and when Robotica has the chance of making it, it changes Jimmy’s family and Uncle Lester forever. As if his father was not enough of a problem, Jimmy’s two sisters and mother give him their fair share of unwanted grief. Now Jimmy’s biggest fan and the most popular kid in school, Charley Beemer, decides he is going to tell Jimmy how to draw his comics. He says they do not have enough blood and severed limbs, but Jimmy does not know how to draw severed limbs. As if he did not have enough to worry about!

The Man in the Ceiling is a story of hope against all odds, a boy trying to get in touch with a world that does not understand him. Jimmy’s troubles at home and at school are relatable in a general sense to a young reader, while also targeting specific issues of isolation and self-worth. The reader may look at Jimmy and his Uncle Lester as people who believe strongly in what they do, and also be encouraged by their stories of triumph over adversity. They both go against the grain of their environments, and by sticking to their convictions they win personal victories. Adolescent and adult readers alike will find morals and life lessons along with an intimate storyline in The Man in the Ceiling, making it a recommended read.

Recommended
Scott Bolinger, September 2004

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