The Monster Bed facts for kids
First edition
|
|
| Author | Jeanne Willis |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Susan Varley |
| Cover artist | Susan Varley |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's Book |
| Publisher | Andersen Press |
|
Publication date
|
1986 |
| Media type | Hardcover |
| ISBN | 0-688-06804-9 |
| OCLC | 13792915 |
| [E] 19 | |
| LC Class | PZ8.3.W6799 Mo 1987 |
The Monster Bed is a popular children's book from 1987. It was written by Jeanne Willis and drawn by Susan Varley. This book puts a fun twist on the usual "monsters under the bed" story. Instead of kids being scared of monsters, the main character, a monster named Dennis, is afraid of human children! He thinks they hide under his bed.
His mother tries to help him go to sleep. But then, a human child accidentally finds their cave home. Both Dennis and the child get a big fright when they see each other! The book was made to help children with fear of the dark. It shows that monsters might be just as scared of humans as humans are of monsters.
The Monster Bed got great reviews when it came out. Many people loved its unique idea. Some versions of the book even came with a soft toy of Dennis. In 1989, an animated TV show based on the book was shown as part of the ABC Weekend Specials.
Contents
What Happens in The Monster Bed?
Starting the Story
The book begins with a human boy and his dog having a picnic. The boy warns readers not to go into the Withering Wood. This forest is rumored to have strange creatures. People say there are "hairy trolls, nasty gnomes, and scary pixies and fairies" there.
Then, the story moves inside the forest. We meet a small monster named Dennis and his mother. Dennis is a very polite young monster. The book quickly shows that Dennis is very afraid of humans. This fear leads to the main part of the story.
Dennis's Fear of Children
Dennis screams that he will not go to bed. His mother is surprised by his sudden fear. She asks him why he is so scared. Dennis explains that he is afraid of humans. He says humans will "creep under my monster bed while I'm asleep."
Dennis's mother doesn't believe his story. She tries to convince him to go to sleep. She gives Dennis his teddy bear and promises to leave the light on. She leans in to kiss him goodnight. But Dennis bites her nose! His mother then promises him that humans won't get him. She gets him ready for bed. However, Dennis decides he will sleep *under* his bed. This way, humans won't find him, he thinks.
A Lost Child's Adventure
While Dennis is falling asleep, a young human boy is skipping school. He goes into the Withering Wood to hide. He walks deep into the forest. Soon, he finds Dennis and his mother's cave. The boy doesn't know where he is. He walks into the cave to rest. He decides to sleep there for a while.
He finds Dennis's bedroom and chooses to sleep on the bed. He changes into his pajamas. As he starts to fall asleep, he remembers his own fear. He is afraid of monsters. Since his mother isn't there, he checks under the bed himself. To his surprise, he finds Dennis! Both Dennis and the young boy get scared. They both run away.
The book then talks about not misbehaving. It asks how it would feel if Dennis's mother told you humans weren't real.
Main Characters
Dennis the Monster
Dennis is a polite, green, cave-dwelling monster. He looks a bit like a Velociraptor. He is the main character of the story. Dennis has many features like humans. He can smile, walk, and show feelings. He always carries his teddy bear and pillow. These items make him seem like a small child. Dennis also has several toys. These toys look like characters from another children's book, Where the Wild Things Are. Dennis also plays hopscotch near his cave.
Dennis is very afraid of human children. He thinks humans are under his bed. This is just like how humans think monsters are under theirs. This fear has caused trouble with his mother. He even bit her nose when she tried to kiss him! In the end, Dennis chose to sleep under his bed. He thought children couldn't find him there.
Dennis's Mother
Dennis's mother is much bigger than Dennis. She is clearly the same kind of monster. She is a caring mother. She tries to get Dennis to sleep on his bed. She wants him to stop being afraid of humans. When Dennis refuses, she tries many things. She keeps the light on and gives him his teddy bear.
The mother is "much larger" than Dennis. She acts like a human mother. She carries a purse at the start of the book. She tucks Dennis into bed every night. She also reads him stories about humans. She even plays with Dennis.
The Small Human Child
We don't know much about the small human child. On the day Dennis refused to sleep, this boy had skipped school. The book calls this "hooky". He hid in the forest. But the child soon got lost. He wandered into the cave where Dennis and his mother lived. By the time he reached the cave, he was very tired. He decided to sleep there.
He took off his clothes and put on his pajamas. He then decided to go to sleep. But he was afraid of monsters under the bed. Since his mother wasn't there, he looked under the bed himself. When he looked, he saw Dennis. Both Dennis and the boy were terrified of each other. The boy ran out of the cave. Dennis ran to his mother. We don't know what happened to the boy after that.
Other Characters
There are a few other smaller characters in The Monster Bed:
- Picnic boy: This boy is introduced at the start of the story. He warns the reader about the "Withering Wood." He has likely been there, as he runs out of the forest with his picnic things. He owns a white and brown dog. He is seen eating an apple and a sandwich.
- The dog: A brown and white dog owned by the Picnic boy. Like its owner, it is scared of the stories about the Withering Wood.
- Other children: These are the humans Dennis believes are under his bed.
Important Lessons from the Book
The Monster Bed teaches two main lessons. One is about fear of others. It shows that monsters are afraid of children, just as children are afraid of monsters. The book aims to comfort children. It tells them that what they fear might be just as scared of them. It also encourages children to check under their beds themselves.
Another lesson is about making good choices. The book suggests not to skip school, like the small child did. It also teaches not to hide from your parents in places you don't know.
How People Liked the Book
The book got great reviews from parents. Some were happy their child started reading. Others loved the drawings, story, and characters. Many liked it because it appealed to their children. They also enjoyed its unusual twist on the fear of monsters. The book received a 4.5-star rating on Amazon.com. It also got a 4 out of 5 rating on Circle Time book reviews.
The Book's Style
Writing Style
The Monster Bed was written by Jeanne Willis. The story is written like a poem. The first and second lines often rhyme, and so do the third and fourth. For example: "He took off his pillows and blankets and said, / 'From now on, I plan to sleep under my bed. / If I'm underneath and a human comes near, / It won't think to look for me, safe under here.'" Most pages have four lines. Some have six, and one page has only a single line.
Art Style
The drawings were made by Susan Varley. She used watercolor paints and pencils. The pictures make Dennis and his mother seem very human-like. Susan Varley even added a hidden detail. If you look closely at Dennis's toys, you'll see they are the same creatures from Where the Wild Things Are.
Dennis Plush Toy
Some versions of the book came with a plush toy of Dennis. He is the main character. The toy holds a teddy bear in one hand and his pillow in the other. All of the toy's parts can move, even his ears. It was made to be a bedtime toy. The toy looks just like Dennis in the book, even down to the feel of his skin.
