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The Biggest Bed in the World
Author: Lindsay Camp
Illustrator: Jonathan Langley |
I purchased this book years ago, before I had a large family. Reason being, it is one of the few books that positively depicts co-sleeping. While there are many arguments against having your children in bed with you, there are many benefits and this book showed the plus side in a subtle way. However, recently my kids pulled this book off the shelf for me to read, and I realized that it is just as much a large family book, as it is an attachment parenting book.
The story is very simple. Ben sleeps in his parent's bed. This is fine until his siblings come along. As more children come, Ben's dad (his name is never mentioned) feels more and more cramped, and thus he keeps upgrading to a larger bed. When the family size hits 7, Ben's dad needs to make a custom bed. However, the house is not quite built to hold such a bed, and chaos ensues. |  |
The end of the book has Ben's dad ordering all the kids into their own beds. There is a great picture of all 7 children bunking in one room. Thing is, it isn't the kids who miss being in bed with their parents, but Ben's dad who misses having his kids nearby. The obvious ending is cute and poignant.
One of the things I like a lot about this book is that the fact they have a large family is never really drawn attention to. The family keeps growing, the older siblings aging appropriately, and it is all very natural. The issue is not the family size at all, but the father's mild obsession on having a bed the appropriate size. In some ways this is the stereotypical "neurotic father"--but it is not played out for slapstick laughs, even when the action gets a bit ridiculous.
The illustrations in the book are truly delightful. They are very expressive, and show the family is a positive light. As mentioned, the father is shown being a bit anxious, but the mother is shown as always being calmed and composed. The family also has a dog and a cat, and as the human family grows, so do the animal families. My children loved looking at Ben and his siblings, as well as the kittens and puppies in the various pictures.
Another thing I love about this book, but should be a warning for some parents who may not feel it appropriate for their particular families, is that it depicts the mother breastfeeding. Again, it is very natural, and there is no attention drawn to it, but it's clear this mother has nursed all of her children.
We started off our parenting life with all of our children co-sleeping with us, and I can safely say that kids do not remain with you for their rest of their lives. My older kids sleep in their own beds, and even our baby prefers to sleep on her own or with one of her siblings. Still, this book does help promote the simple idea that every household is different, and every family is different. It is a delightful book which positively depicts large families, and I would recommend this book as a nice addition to your children's library.
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Review by: Michelle Lehmann
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