Time for Bed’s Story 
written and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo
Kids Can Press, 2020
978-1-5253-0239-8 (hc) $19.99
978-1-5253-0614-3 (eBook) $9.99
for Preschool to Grade 2
Picture Book | Bedtime | Feelings | Humour
Anyone who has kids knows how much they dislike bedtime. But have you ever stopped to think about how the bed feels about it? In this humorous picture book, told from the point of view of a bed, readers are given insight into the feelings and frustrations of Bed.
Bed is tired of bedtime. He’s tired of his boy’s stall tactics, his kicking, his drooling and his stealing of the blankets. He’s spent many years with his boy, and he’s not a fan of the stickers all over his headboard or the stinky mess underneath him. And yet, as the story unfolds, we also see Bed’s affection for the boy.
Montreal-based author/illustrator Monica Arnaldo’s expressive watercolour illustrations have a vintage-style feel and are visually appealing. She perfectly captures the annoyed expressions of Bed and the relationship between Bed and his boy. Through vignettes, we see how the boy treats Bed at bedtime and throughout the day. Bed has offered his boy comfort over the years, and feels that he has been taken for granted.
With its punny title, Time for Bed’s Story is a clever and endearing story that can be used to teach children about respect, empathy, and the feelings of others.
—Shannon Barnes is the editor of Canadian Children’s Book News and the mother of two children who dislike bedtime very much.
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