Time for Bed's Story

With the abundance of bedtime stories, it’s about time we heard from Bed himself. He’s got something to say—”You’re not so great, either.” He hears all of the excuses and attempts to delay bedtime. He smells stinky breath all night and wonders if teeth were actually brushed. He deals with blanket hogging, jumping all over him, teeth left on him (Bed should really take that up with the tooth fairy), and feet to his face (the headboard). Plus, he can smell a foul odor from forgotten items under him. But now that bed sees his occupant is growing up, he’s asking, “Next bedtime, could you possibly, please, try to think of Bed’s feelings also?” Ending with a child still sneaking the covers and drooling all over him, bed smiles fondly with a hopeful and loving, “next time, maybe.” This not-so-typical bedtime story provides an entertaining point of view from bed, resulting in laughter and a subtle prompt for more respectful bedtimes and treatment of possessions. While the book might feel like a list of Bed’s complaints, the playful illustrations and unique perspective make for a more light-hearted tone. The personification of Bed allows readers to think about his feelings, creating the opportunity to feel and practice sympathy and empathy—both powerful lessons to then transport to other aspects of life.