The Monster Bed

by Jeanne Willis, Susan Varley (Illustrator)

A little monster is afraid to go to bed because he thinks humans will get him while he is asleep

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy, Monsters, Storytime

28 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Jeanne Willis was born in St Albans and trained as an advertising copywriter at Watford College. She worked for various agencies creating press adverts and TV, cinema and radio commercials. She is now a full-time writer and has published over 80 books. Her hobbies include gardening, reading (non-fiction), natural history and collecting caterpillars. Jeanne has also worked on scripts for TV, including POLLY POCKET and THE SLOW NORRIS, and a pilot TV series for DR XARGLE. She lives in North London with her husband and two children.

Reviews

[Jane Scholey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet little book about a monster who’s afraid of the humans who might be under his bed. There are some issues with it. But i can see younger chn enjoying it and linking it to Monsters Inc.

[Belinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars - English hardcover - I have dyslexia - Thanks Tom for the read -
The children are not realy liking this book. 🚗❤️🚕

[Sara Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST BOOK EVER!!!

[Max Lawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Monster Bed by Susan Varley is a children's picture story book first published in 1986. It tells the story of Dennis the monster and Dennis' mum, who live in the Withering Wood. It's a bedtime story that talks of how Dennis is scared not of monsters under his bed- he is a monster himself afterall- but of human children hiding under his bed to get him in the night. "What fiddle-dee-dee" cries his mother as he kisses him goodnight. Just to be sure, Dennis decides to sleep under his bed. Once Dennis is asleep however, a boy gets lost in the woods, and growing tired and scared comes across the cave where Dennis and his mum live. He curls up on Dennis' bed, and as his mum isn't there to check for monsters under the bed, he decides to look for himself. The story ends with the capitalized letter "Yaaaah!" as the boy and Dennis find each-other and run away in terror.

I have immensely enjoyed reading this book to a class of young children. The commitment to rhyme throughout the telling of the entire story can be used to demonstrate the meaning and use of rhymes in writing, and give the story a musical quality that maintains it's pace when reading it aloud. The story being largely based around illustration makes it perfect for developing rhyme with younger Key Stage 1 or even Early Years children. The story is upside down in the sense that it explores not the traditional fear of children of monsters under the bed, but the fear little monsters have of humans. It teaches children that often the things that we are afraid of can be just as frightened of us as we are of them, and as such we shouldn't be so quick to judge things and other people by how they first appear or our prejudices. This gives it curricula uses not just in literacy but also PSHE, citizenship, P4C and RE.

[Katherine Dyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story tells a tale of a little monster who is scared to go to bed. His poor mum has trouble getting him to go to sleep because the little monster believes that humans live under his bed and they will get him in the night. One night the monster decides to sleep under his bed “for if I am there and a human comes near, it won’t think to look for me, safe under here”. That night a boy becomes lost and finds himself in the monsters cave, he spots the bare mattress and tiredly lies down. The boy mum’s is not there to kiss him good night or look for monsters under the bed so the boy has to do it him. The boy gets down on his knees and... found one!

This is an enjoyable book that is creatively written to include rhyming words at the end of each sentence. This is ideal to use for a year one phonics lesson as the children can guess the next rhyming word in the next sentence. It is also great to create atmosphere and can be used to introduce the use of speech marks to show they are used for when characters are speaking.

[Julia Stevens]

I LOVE the reversal of this common childhood fear. This would be a cute story to read before rest time.

[Bessana Kendig · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Monster Bed Written by Jeanne Willis tells the story of a little monster who is afraid to go to bed because he thinks there are humans under his bed. One night a human boy gets lost in the woods and ends up finding the monster's cave. He climbs under the bed to hide and sleep. When the younger monster is ready to sleep, he checks under his bed to see if there are any humans, AND THERE IS, so he freaks out and runs away.

The last page reads, "From now on, dear reader, you'd better behave. don't go to the woods, or to Dennis's cave, Or you might meet his mother--just think how you'd feel, if she were to tell you that YOU are not real!"

I give this book a two star rating. It has comedic affect and the idea that monsters are as afraid of us as we are of them, a saying commonly applied to scary animals when young children are afraid of them, is useful but I just felt like there was no resolution to the conflict. At the end of the story, the moral is still to listen to your parents and not go in the forest or else you'll find monsters. It didn't emphasize that our fears of other's differences are unnecessary because those who are different from us aren't so bad.

It reminded me of being afraid there was a monster in my closet. If I had ever discovered there really was a monster in there, I would rather the moral of my own story be that I was right only the monster turned out to be sweet, instead of my mother is always right (because she isn't).

In the classroom this could be used if a teacher needed to give some children a good giggle. It's silly and humorous just not a perfect full circle narrative.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so awesome! If you haven't read it or even heard of it go and get it and read it to your kids or yourself. I love the flow and rhymes of this story. Even though there was a few parts I got tongue tied it was great! A little twist and what ifs...... this book will have you reading to your little one(s) every night. Now I'm off to buy a copy to put into Little Dragons library.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book. I love the illustrations (although the cover could be better). And the story moves along. However there is a page where the little dragon purposely hurts his mother, that I don’t agree with. And it’s just glossed over. So no, not this book, not for me, and not for my library.

[Anubhav Jalan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very short bed time read book told from a point of view of the little scaly tailed in the other world where he is afraid that humans may creep under his bed. While his mommy comforts him, he still snuggles out to sleep under the bed. Lo and behold, the human child gets lost and ends up in cave and has same fear but of monster. So he also wants to sleep under bed and....

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally review our bedtime reads, but the fact that my little guy has asked for this every night for the past 2 weeks is pretty impressive. It's a cute twist (monster afraid of humans under the bed) with some fun moments.

A few rhymes are rough, and too many sentences have forced syllables that make reading awkward, but overall it's a fun read.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story turns the fear of monsters under the bed on its head. Dennis the monster is scared of going to bed as he thinks the humans will come and get him. His mothers says that humans only exist in stories.... This story has a great sense of humour and is good for rhyming.

[Arkane Trouville · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my favorite books when I was young. I love how the story has a "tables have turned" premise. And I also like the art style, which is very grandma-made-me-a-book, nostalgic, and somberly calming.

[Emma Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

KS1- Year 1

English: Look at the rhyming in the story- can the children recognise the rhymes? Rewrite the story from a different point of view. Can you write your own story about someone or something who is afraid of something unusual?

Science: Imagine that a monster was a real animal and right a report about it and describe its habitat, diet, adaptations etc.

Computing: Use art software to create your own monster picture.

Art: Look at existing pictures of monsters. Could the children try and recre-ate one of these using different types of art materials.

PSHE: The boys play ‘truant from school’- What does this mean? Why isn’t this a good thing to do?

[Antonia Gall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did read this when i was a child but i loved it more bing read 2 me and my lil sister by our mum as a bedtime story it was mine and my lil sister's favourite bedtime story

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the text quite a bit; the illustrations were okay but not my favorite.

[Amanda Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute bedtime story with rhyming scheme.

[Heather Fry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This used to be my sons favorite when he was little. I loved reading it to him also.

[pier63 · Rating 2 out of 5]

376語

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

Would have be higher, but a wee bit dated

[Syed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little Dennis is a polite monster who lives with his mum inside a gloomy and glum cave. The only thing is that he is scared of bedtime. His mum asks him why he is frightened, he shows concern that the humans will get him. His mum explains that humans only exist within stories.
This is a nice story which could be read to children who are scared of bedtime. The detailed illustrations are complementary to the text. This is a fear that many children face, so this may help them overcome their fear. The irony is that in the story, the monster is scared of the children, the complete opposite to what we are used to. All in all, it is a fun story book with rhymes. Lo and behold, a young child who has been truanting finds himself in the monster’s home; which is a cave. He sees the warm and cosy bed and gets ready to go sleep in it. Just before doing so so he checks under the bed to see if there are any monsters. Much to their shock, they both surprise each other and run in opposite directions. The book makes use of great illustrations and the language is easily digestible for young readers. I agree with the Independent on Sunday, who recommend this book for children aged three and above.

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Upon buying, I definitely thought The Monster Bed was about a monster living under a kid's bed . . . but in their own dimension -- almost sleeping on the bottom of the kid's bed, but without knowing that the whole human world was there. I'm not even sure how to explain what I thought, but it seemed so cool! It looks like there are multiple movies that take a similar approach, and it's possible I got my memories of "Don't Look Under the Bed" mixed up with my desires for this book -- I don't know!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many years this has been one of my favorite Storytime books. Oh, never go down, dear reader, into the dark dark woods...

I just LOVE the reaction I get as I introduce my storytime kids to Dennis, a young monster who is terrified that the humans will get him! Luckily Dennis has a wonderful mother who assures him that "humans are just in stories you see"...

It's one of those books that I want to NEVER go out of print.

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

All my students invariably love the story of a young dinosaur-like monster terrified of human children and his mother who doesn't believe in them. And while the reader knows she's wrong and he's (at least partly) right, you gotta give her credit for being a single mom and a working monster to boot.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little Dennis doesn't want to go to sleep because there might be something under his bed. Dennis isn't afraid of monsters—after all, he's a monster himself. He's afraid that humans will get him. His mother says that humans are only in made-up stories, but Dennis is not convinced—but just try telling that to the lost little boy who wanders into Dennis's cave one night!

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Monster Bed by Susan Valery. I was read this book when i was a child and it is a very sweet short story to help children cope with being afraid of monsters. For in this book the monsters are just as afraid of us children as we are of them. A must read to your children and yourself when no one is looking!

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This became my daughter's favourite book from the age of 3 or 4 and we read it every day, usually more than once. The twist on the 'scared of monsters' theme is delightfully whimsical and the rhyme and illustrations add to the enjoyment of this lovely book. My daughter is 25 now and I can still recite it almost word perfectly!!

[The Brothers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little monster is scared that the humans might come to get him while he sleeps. He hides under the bed just in case. And it just so happens that night a little boy playing hooky comes into his cave and crawls into his bed. Both the monster and the little boy are in for a fright!

Fun illustrations.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little monster, Dennise, is afraid there is something under his bed--a human.


Reading Practice


Interested Level: Lower Grades (LG K-3)

Fiction/Nonfiction: Fiction

Topic-Subtopic: Creatures-Monsters; Emotions-Fear

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book! Conrad isn't afraid of the monsters under the bed so the context is lost on him, but the exaggerated expressions and monster cave are interesting enough. I had read this one as a young one and it brought back a bunch of memories.