A Big Bed for Jed

by Laurie B. Friedman, Ashlee Spink (Illustrator)

Overview

Jed gets a new big bed. But it's too big and too new. With bedtime so near, what will Jed do? Jed's family tries to convince Jed to give his new bed a try, but nothing works! Can anyone in his family find a way to get Jed to go to sleep in his new big bed? Downloadable Teacher Notes available.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781039800571
Publisher:	Crabtree Publishing
Publication date:	11/27/2023
Series:	Sunshine Picture Books Series
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	11.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.32(d)
Age Range:	7 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

"Jed loved his crib./ It felt just right./ Till his family surprised him/ with a big bed one night," begins this humorous tale of a first rite of passage. For Jed, the idea of leaving his cozy crib is far from appealing. With a roly-poly poignancy, poor Jed imagines himself first dwarfed by the bed's monstrousness, then falling out with such a velocity that he rolls down the hall. His extended family exhausts every possible enticement new sheets, big boy pajamas from his aunt, pleadings from Grandma. But with a little reverse psychology on their part, and some strategic bouncing and tickling from Jed, the hero is soon happily ensconced between the covers. Newcomer Friedman's simple dialogue relies on a few forced rhymes (e.g., " `Here's something for you,'/ said Jed's Auntie Stella./ `We think you'll love it/ now that you're a big fella,' "), but Jahn-Clough's (Missing Molly) childlike stylizations and bright colors do a fine job of endowing the story with both emotional weight and circus-like comedy. Ages 2-6. (Mar.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

PreS-Drawing on a familiar theme, this story told in rollicking rhyme describes a youngster's reluctant rite of passage. It begins by introducing a beguiling redheaded toddler: "Jed loved his crib./It felt just right./Till his family surprised him/with a big bed one night." As far as he is concerned, things go down hill from this point. No amount of cajoling or any manner of bribe is sufficient to convince him that he will not fall out of or be swallowed up by the big new bed. Jahn-Clough's naive pen-and-gouache illustrations do a great job of conveying the disproportionate sense of scale Jed experiences as he feels dwarfed, overwhelmed, and intimidated by this developmental challenge. Finally, his sister concocts a plan: the entire family, including an uncle, aunt, and grandma, piles into the bed sans Jed. A little reverse psychology brings out his proprietary instincts and he announces, "BUT THAT'S MY BIG BED!" Mission accomplished, the clan tucks Jed in for a night's repose. Use this title with Lindsay Camp's The Biggest Bed in the World (HarperCollins, 2000) and Anna G. Hines's My Own Big Bed (Greenwillow, 1998) for a fun thematic preschool storytime.-Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

School Library Journal

The transition from his crib to a big-boy bed may prove to be too much for Jed and his exasperated family. Jed loves his cozy and comfortable crib, but one day his family decides to surprise him with a bed. As if taking his cue from Goldilocks, Jed proclaims that this new bed is too big, too new, and definitely too blue. Jed's family tries everything to coax him out of his sour mood. His sister answers his fear of rolling out with a railing; Auntie Stella arrives with a brand-new set of pajamas; and Uncle Stan produces new bedding. But Jed will not budge. Exasperated, his father calls in reinforcements and Grandma arrives to try her influence. Finally Jed's sister devises a plan: as the whole family snuggles into his bed and feigns sleep, suddenly that's where Jed wants to be. Childlike artwork, rendered with broad brushstrokes and bright colors, swirls across the pages. A simple rhyming cadence, with only a few minor stumbles, keeps the text bright and suggests that this might be a good read-aloud selection for children reluctant to move into a big bed of their own. A funny look at a common parenting hurdle. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews