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Bed, Bed, Bed

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Four stories to read in the book!
Four new songs to sing on the CD inside the book!
You can enjoy Bed, Bed, Bed anytime and anywhere but it is especially good for bedtime, especially good to read out loud, and it's especially good to share.


Four stories to read in the book!
Four new songs to sing on the CD inside the book!
You can enjoy Bed, Bed, Bed anytime and anywhere but it is especially good for bedtime, especially good to read out loud, and it's especially good to share.

48 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2003

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5 stars
78 (45%)
4 stars
48 (28%)
3 stars
38 (22%)
2 stars
6 (3%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
Profile Image for Michael.
815 reviews94 followers
January 17, 2017
These poems/songs were all silly, and, to be honest, a little trippy. You could probably invent your own cadence when reading these, but once you hear the songs on the CD you will find yourself singing these as songs. The final one in the book - Bed, Bed, Bed - was my children's favorite, and the only one they listened to over and over. The others were pretty esoteric, but bedtime translates across all languages.
Profile Image for chris.
96 reviews8 followers
June 25, 2007
Holy crap! A They Might Be Giants read-along! Illustrated by Marcel Dzama! I know that this came out, like, four years ago, but I was too poor to even think about buying such a frivolity back then. Good thing I bought it now, as it was about to be returned to the publisher.
Profile Image for Murial.
27 reviews3 followers
July 11, 2007
Ohmygod, I am such a nanny, but this book/cd combo makes me so so so so very happy. I mean, there isn't much to actually read, but I want to buy it for every cool kid I know. And that includes all of you grown kids on here.
Profile Image for Dawn.
1,172 reviews55 followers
December 27, 2020
Fun combo (book and cd), which I would heartily recommend to any parents. Oh, their kids too.
Profile Image for Peacegal.
12k reviews102 followers
December 3, 2018
This band has a bit of a nostalgic appeal for me; I owned a couple of their albums in jr. high. I loved how wonderfully weird the illustrations were.
Profile Image for Kathleen.
4,033 reviews6 followers
July 27, 2022
The pictures are whimsical, and the songs are catchy!
Profile Image for Kyla McCown.
7 reviews
February 22, 2025
loved reading this to my kid and realizing I still remembered the songs from when I was younger
Profile Image for Becky.
Author 1 book28 followers
March 7, 2008
I love They Might Be Giants. I love love love them. I've been listening to their music for more than 15 years, and it's been very exciting to hear their music evolve over that time.

Their foray into the world of children's entertainment has been exciting for me, since I'm a children's-book junkie. But while I think the "No!" family CD hits the mark, the Johns' "children's book," Bed Bed Bed is a bit off.

The design and illustrations are beautiful, of course. TMBG is known for their cutting-edge taste in designers almost as much as for their music, and so the design and illustrations of the book are bound to catch a child's attention and hold it for a bit.

The text of the book, however, is just song lyrics, and I'm of the opinion that song lyrics generally don't make good reading -- without the music, at least half (if not more) of the experience is missing. And TMBG lyrics are so typically strange, you really do need the music to complete the context.

Of course, the book was meant to be read along with the enclosed four-song CD, and I do think the book is rather pointless without the CD. I take issue, however, with the recasting of the book's title song as a "lullaby." This plodding, tuneless version of the song would put anybody to sleep, most likely in the hope of getting away from Kimya Dawson's monotonous voice. They may have done better to kick off the book and CD with the march-like, sound-effects studded version of "Bed Bed Bed" as it's featured on the "No!" album, and saved the floating, lovely "Idlewild" for the closing lullaby.

Last week I attended one of TMBG's "family concerts," and it was pretty clear that the "No!" album is building a very young sector in the TMBG listening audience. There's a lot to love about the "No!" disc, with its upbeat songs and fun animations. The Bed Bed Bed book and CD, while a beautiful package, is less accessible. I do hope the Johns will give children's publishing another shot!
Profile Image for Amy.
11 reviews2 followers
Currently Reading
February 2, 2008
I love Marcel Dzama so it is BIG treat that my baby can share in his awesomeness. The songs are funny and get totally stuck in your head. I would say that it's not really 'pre-bedtime' listening, though, because the tunes are not mellow. But they are fun, and it is a very cool combination of art and music... Baby/kid dance party!
Profile Image for Katie Zebrowski.
252 reviews5 followers
July 6, 2015
The CD is great, but it's a little disappointing that the book only consists of the song lyrics for the CD. If you're reading this book without the CD it's not going to be as much fun..I'm pretty sure the two Johns could come up with some pretty amazing children's books that aren't just song lyrics.. here's hoping for their next endeavor!
Profile Image for Stuart.
25 reviews1 follower
February 13, 2013
This really is a wonderful book for children. Beautiful pictures and the accompanying CD is just great for them to fall to sleep listening to.

You've got to know that happy doesn't have to an ending, remember this before we part.
Profile Image for Kristy.
99 reviews14 followers
July 25, 2007
i bought this at a library conference in michigan where they performed - too sweet!
Profile Image for Karetchko.
149 reviews12 followers
Read
August 12, 2007
I already loved the song, and then along comes this book, with some illustrations that are simultaneously old-fashioned-looking and trippy. Could I love TMBG any more? I don't think it's possible.
Profile Image for Naomi.
14 reviews
February 29, 2008
I got to read the kids at bed time, but like all of their things geated towards kids I love it too. We read the book then they listen to the cd that came with it while they mellow out in bed!
7 reviews1 follower
April 18, 2008
I liked this mostly for the accompaniment
13 reviews
October 5, 2008
this is a really good why to get your kids to bed and to sing with you i was singing this one to my girl before bed.
11 reviews
February 21, 2010
I like how it came with a CD that had songs on it. The songs were cool. The songs are in the book and have pictures to go with them.
Profile Image for John Lamberth.
44 reviews4 followers
September 9, 2014
The illustrations are great. The text is just the lyrics to the songs on the accompanying CD and they work better set to music than as reading material.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews