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What's under the bed? -
written and illustrated by Joe Fenton.
New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c2008.
1 v. (unpaged) : some col. ill. ; 26 cm.
Annotations:
- When Fred lays down his head, he imagines there is something monstrous under his bed.
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
- Borders Original Voices Award, 2008 Nominee Children's Picture Book United States
Horn Book Guide:
- Spring 2009 Picture Books Rating 3, Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.
Reviews:
- Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)
Fenton plays with rhymes in this story about young Fred. Once sent to bed, Fred hears a noise, and he fearfully begins to imagine what might be under his bed. He speculates on whether it could be green, or red, or with a big head; if it is tall or small. His imagination produces ever more frightening possibilities. “Oh, I hope it’s been fed!” he gasps. When he finally gathers the courage to look, he finds only his teddy bear. But we leave him hearing another noise, as his worries begin again. The very few words in large type seem to have a life of their own, although they are surely no match for the increasingly convoluted illustrations involving us in Fred’s aggressive imaginary world. Fred wears oversized glasses and an anxious expression on his large head. His bed has a fanciful tubular metal frame that is interestingly incorporated into the designs of the nighttime creatures. The scenes in mixed media are chiefly black, as befits the nighttime, with only touches of color and contrasting white. One particularly ugly creature touched in red has a single glaring eye, a quartet of nasty, stabbing tusks, and twisting octopus-like tentacles. But there are cute, insect-like things and lots of flowers too, so it’s hard to be too frightened. This could be a humorous aid for coaxing the reluctant to bed, although the final illustration may raise apprehension anew. 2008, Simon & Schuster Boks for Young Readers, $15.99. Ages 3 to 7.Diane Hernandez (Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 21, No. 4))
This is a cute bedtime story about monsters under the bed. A little boy is afraid to fall asleep because he lets his imagination get the best of him. The author uses fun rhyming text to go with the dark illustrations. The children’s anticipation grows as the story progresses. At the end of the story, the character Fred finally works up enough courage to look under his bed. Fiction. Grades PreK. 2008, Simon & Schuster, Unpaged., $15.99. Ages 3 to 5.Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2008 (Vol. 76, No. 17))
It's nighttime, and Fred hears a noise. As his imagination takes hold, the bespectacled little boy begins to fret over what might be lurking under his bed. Fenton uses this familiar theme to present beginning readers with colors and opposites, and peppers his rhyming text with words they will recognize and know. Fred wonders, "Could it be green? / Or maybe it's red?... / Is it fat? / Or is it thin?" Black and white effectively convey the darkness of night, but at times the minimal use of color is not effectively used as a narrative tool; too, the preponderance of rounded shapes could confuse the reader's focus. The circular nature of his artwork does reflect the story line, as the end returns to the beginning. After Fred finally conjures up the courage to look down to find that it's "only Ted," he falls fast asleep on the floor, while a scared monster is left in bed to wonder, "What's that noise? What's that sound? / Is there something on the ground?" 2008, Simon & Schuster, 32p, $15.99. Category: Picture book. Ages 3 to 7. © 2008 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.Mel Laudenslager (Kutztown University Book Review, Spring 2009)
Fenton’s beautifully illustrated first picture book takes us into the imagination of every child who thinks there is a monster under his or her bed. The mostly black and white illustrations set the tone for this darkly funny book with a twist at the end. It is written in rhyming verses which primary students always love. The little boy protagonist, Fred, just might be the cutest illustrated little boy in the world with his huge head and coke bottle glasses to match. I think this book would be great to read to a Kindergarten class around Halloween time. It would be even better if you could turn off most of the lights in the library or classroom! This is a simple story with fantastic illustrations that remind me somewhat of my favorite Tim Burton Movie. I would highly recommend this book. Category: Picture Book. 2008, Simon & Schuster, $15.99. Ages 5 to 7.Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2009)
Fred is frightened by noises under his bed. The narrative is accessible, using uncomplicated rhymes ("What's that noise? / What's that sound? / Is there something on the ground?"). The brooding illustrations would be more unnerving if Fred, diminutive in outsize glasses, weren't so adorably disarming. Fenton's predominantly black-and-white palette allows for occasional jolts of color when showing Fred's imaginary (or is it?) creature. Category: Picture Books. 2008, Simon, 32pp, 15.99. Ages 4 to 9. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration. Subjects:
- Stories in rhyme.
Bedtime Fiction.
Fear of the dark Fiction.
Imagination Fiction.
| Language | Call Number | LCCN | Dewey Decimal | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English (eng) | PZ8.3.F3665 Whc 2008 |
2007032558 |
[E] |
9781416949435 (alk. paper) 1416949437 (alk. paper) |