rachelleahdorn's review
My brother got this book as a present when he was a baby. We had the first edition (apparently) because the illustration on the cover has three kids snuggled under the covers and the first page illustration is a little different than the 198os version.
This is basically the best ever children's book. The illustrations are wonderful and bizarre. Apparently there is a version with Quentin Blake as the illustrator. His illustrations are also wonderful and bizarre but in an utterly different way.
A few years ago when I went looking for a copy of this book (because as the first sibling to have a kid, I got my brother's copy. Now that he has a kid I need to send this book on) and they were above $200. Now the prices are much lower (more people looking to sell them?) so you should make sure you get your kid (or your adult who like poetry and sleeping and whimsy) a copy.
This is basically the best ever children's book. The illustrations are wonderful and bizarre. Apparently there is a version with Quentin Blake as the illustrator. His illustrations are also wonderful and bizarre but in an utterly different way.
A few years ago when I went looking for a copy of this book (because as the first sibling to have a kid, I got my brother's copy. Now that he has a kid I need to send this book on) and they were above $200. Now the prices are much lower (more people looking to sell them?) so you should make sure you get your kid (or your adult who like poetry and sleeping and whimsy) a copy.
gargamela's review
3.0
I understand the appeal of these fantastical beds presented in rhymes, but I enjoyed the story behind the book more than the actual book so i gave this one 3 stars. The tone of the poetry made me think of Dr. Seuss, light, up-beat, very whimsical and optimistic. The illustrations by Quentin Blake are awesome as always. But there was something missing, probably in terms of musicality that didn't make me curious to continue reading. Now let's move to the story behind the book. I see that most reviewers say that this poem was written by Plath for her own children, but she actually wrote this poem after a long slum and dedicated it to the twins of a friend. Even her husband started writing children's stories around the same period and she wrote that not having a child whom to dedicate these two was the most depressing thing in the world.
gardenjess's review
5.0
Who knew that Sylvia Plath wrote a children's bedtime book? Not me! Published in 1976, and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, it's quite delightful. The rhyming appealed, and between the descriptions and the pictures I wanted all of those fun beds - particularly the elephant bed. This could be fun for pajama storytime with an older group.
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