Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Simon's New Bed
Illustrator: Melissa van der Paardt
Picture Book
For ages 4 to 6
Simon and Schuster, 2015 ISBN: 978-1481430197
Simon the dog is very excited because his boy has given him a present: a brand new bed. Simon and his boy go for a walk and then Simon gets ready to try out his new bed for the first time. He hydrates and then runs to his boy’s room “only to discover a problem.” While he was out Miss Adora Belle, the Siamese cat, has chosen to sleep in Simon’s new bed.
Poor Simon tells Miss Adora Belle that she has made a mistake and that she is sleeping in his bed. When this information does not suffice to get the cat to move, Simon howls, he barks, he drags his bed (with the cat in it) all over the house and yard. He even tries to make Miss Adora Belle jealous by sitting on her bed. Miss Adora Belle couldn’t care less when she sees what Simon is doing. Simon is going to have to try something else.
Children will find it hard to keep a straight face as they watch poor Simon try to get his bed back. He tries aggression, sneakiness, and every other tactic that he can think of until he is only left with one option: compromise. When they see what happens with Simon children will see that sometimes accepting a compromise is not all that bad. It could, just maybe, even be a good thing.
