No Jumping on the Bed

Rating:
Summary: No Jumping On The Bed
Review: Author: Tedd Arnold

When Walter starts jumping on the bed his Dad tells him, "Don't jump on the bed or you might fall through the floor." I don't think the little boy wants to stop jumping on the bed. The author seems to understand what kids can go through and I hope there are other people who want to read this book to their kids. This is a very creative book and I think that someone who can write a book and somehow know almost everything a kid will do, must really understand kids. Tedd Arnold is a very creative person. I would read this book to my little brothers, sisters and cousins because it's a very good book and it's appropriate for children eight and younger.

Rating:
Summary: stop that jumping and read this book!
Review: Bed jumping. Is there a better pastime for youngsters? Is there a more frustrating pastime for parents? Have you ever heard (or SAID!) something like, "if you don't stop that, you and your bed are going to go through the floor!!" Well, here's what would happen if you ever DID...

Walter is in his bright yellow P.J.'s getting ready for bed. This means JUMPING on the bed, of course, much to his father's chagrin. Suddenly, after a particularly high hump, his whole BED goes through the floor into Miss Hattie's kitchen below (she's eating spaghetti and meatballs, Walter's favorite). The force of this crash causes HER floor to cave in, and they both tumble down, spaghetti, bed and all, into Mr. Matty's TV room. Guess what happens to HIS floor?? Yup!!

Walter plummets through an aquarium, a huge box of collectable stamps, a house built of toy blocks and a painter's studio before finding his way to the surprise ending in the basement of the apartment.

All the neighbors have wonderful rhyming names like Miss Hattie, Aunt Batty, Mr. Hanratty and Fatty Cat, making this book a wonderful choice to teach phonics and language (rhyming, vowel/consonant, long vowel sounds, etc). The illustrations are bright, detailed and engaging making it a "read it again!" selection for everyone. The topic is sure to be one that every child has thought about ("what if my bed DID go through the floor...?") and will provide hours of fun reading. Definitely add this one to your collection!!

Rating:
Summary: A Dream- maybe
Review: I cringed the first time I heard "Five Little Monkey's Jumping on the Bed"- what mom doesn't? Tedd Arnold explores a different scary aspect of bedjumping, probably one that many children who live in old houses or buildings have thought about- What If The Floor Breaks?! In addition, he caters to the voyeur in children. Don't most children wonder what their neighbors do and what their homes are like? Mine do. The illustrations are charmingly blocky- like Lego people. The animals are cuddly. Everyone rhymes. The theme is very funny to little people- Imagine visiting all your neighbors through the floor! Walter is viewed in our household much as an actor is- my children have noticed that he is also Ollie in "Ollie Forgot". We like that continuity of players in our books. I know that children have to learn that dreams aren't reality; that "what happens during the night" is not really something that happens. Interestingly, Tedd Arnold messes with young minds just a little by making them wonder what is reality and what is a dream.

Rating:
Summary: Could have been more
Review: I had heard that this book was a real gem, but when I got it and read it to my 5 year old, we felt there could have been a bit more humor. I guess we expected these to be more like Arnold's Parts and More Parts which are hysterical and highly entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: Two classics
Review: Tedd Arnold's 'No Jumping on the Bed' and its sequel 'No More Water in the Tub' are the best one-two combination since 'The Cat in the Hat' and 'The Cat and the Hat Returns'. Highest possible recommendation, after reading kids books aloud to a daughter for 4 years. A hoot for parents as well. (And I'm not a relative of the author.) Taken together: a masterpiece of kids' lit and illustration. Buy them both, now.