The Big Bed

The Big Bed

From Bunmi Laditan, the creator of the Honest Toddler blog, The Big Bed is a humorous picture book about a girl who doesn't want to sleep in her little bed, so she presents her dad with his own bed―a camping cot!―in order to move herself into her parents' big bed in his place. A twist on the classic parental struggle of not letting kids sleep in their bed. PreS-K—A young girl tries to negotiate with her dad about who should sleep in the "big bed." She approaches her father as if she were the boss of a company. She acts as if she is offering him a deal by providing him with alternative sleeping arrangements in exchange for his place in the "big bed." The child's ideas are captured and illustrated in wavy thought bubbles. Her proposals are interesting and she attempts to back them with facts to support her conclusions. Her approach as a negotiator and figure of authority is further alluded to with the presence of an easel, a lab coat, a pointer, photographs, and various diagrams. The young girl speaks in an adult tone with authoritative phrasing. However, her childlike point of view is evident through the nature of her dialogue. Important phrases are emphasized with cursive writing throughout the narrative. The book's cartoon illustrations feature curvy and straight lines used to create texture and dimension. The circular eyes of the characters become a focal point throughout the book. The book is filled with an array of brightly colored monochromatic backgrounds that are interchanged with white backgrounds which gives the book a fun and unpredictable feel. VERDICT This quirky and humorous bedtime book could be used to encourage children to explain their ideas in unique ways. It could also be used to encourage them to support their ideas with evidence.—Deanna Smith, formerly at Mamaroneck Public Library, NY "A smart, charmingly manipulative kid trying to get what she wants makes for a fun (and diverse!) story that both children and adults can enjoy."― Kirkus Reviews "This quirky and humorous bedtime book could be used to encourage children to explain their ideas in unique ways. It could also be used to encourage them to support their ideas with evidence." ― School Library Journal "Laditan’s arch and committed formality, punctuated with colloquialism for effective contrast, is supremely funny...Parents and children alike will snicker at this new take on the bedtime book."― Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books ( BCCB ) "Every page is laugh-out-loud funny, as Laditan, with Knight’s expressive illustrations, expertly presents the girl’s matter-of-fact business approach."― Booklist Bunmi Laditan is the creator of the popular blog Honest Toddler. She is also the author of humorous parenting books for adults: The Honest Toddler: A Child's Guide to Parenting and The Honest Toddler: How to be a Better Parental Servant . She lives with her family in Canada. Tom Knight is the illustrator of numerous books for children, including Bone Soup ; Good Knight, Bad Knight ; and The Big Bed . He lives in England with his wife, Tabby, and their two sons, Archie and Seth.