Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants) [Hardcover]

John Flansburgh (Author)

Book Description

Release date: November 3, 2003 | Series: They Might Be Giants

Four stories to read in the book!

Four new songs to sing on the CD inside the book!

You can enjoy Bed, Bed, Bed anytime and anywhere but it is especially good for bedtime, especially good to read out loud, and it's especially good to share.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Parents and kids looking for a break from the ordinary will appreciate this imaginative collection of stories and songs from quirk-rock kings They Might Be Giants. Fresh on the heels of their highly successful children's record No!, Bed, Bed, Bed features four brief stories written by the Giants and illustrated with surreal panache by Marcel Dzama along with a CD featuring all four stories in song version. "Impossible" explores the possibility of turning into fantastical animals like Octofish and Octofee or growing violet hair that flows down the stairs. Kids will find the silly animals and warped reality delightful and will love singer John Linnell's spacey conspiratorial tone. "Happy Doesn’t Have to Have an Ending" tells the story of a hippie kitten "on a secret mission to make a valentine for everyone on earth," who wants everyone to dance and be happy. "Idlewild" slows things down with a softer, sleepier beat and a story about a dreamy trip to the carnival. But the Giants save the best story for last; "Bed Bed Bed Bed Bed" is a well-reasoned and catchy argument for slumber. "I did so many things today, there’s nothing left to do", sings guest vocalist Kimya Dawson (in a slower, different version than the one on "No!"). While the story features familiar bedtime milestones, Dzama’s illustrations lend the proceedings a compellingly skewed vision in which kids eat three meals in the company of bears and go to bed accompanied by their pet octopus and a tuxedoed rabbit. While the lyrics flow nicely in the songs, they can sometimes be a bit clunky on the page. But even then, the stories and Dzama’s illustrations are more imaginative and memorable than most children’s books today. --John Moe

About the Author

They Might Be Giants are John Linnell and John Flansburg. They became friends in Massachusetts when they were kids. They started They Might Be Giants in Brooklyn, New York, where they have a phone machine called Dial-A-Song that plays their songs. They won a Grammy for their song, "Boss of Me," the theme for Malcolm in the Middle. They recently released an album called No! for the whole family. Bed, Bed, Bed is their very first book.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (November 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743250249
• ISBN-13: 978-0743250245
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.6 x 7.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #107,248 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

They Might Be Giants (aka "TMBG") is an American alternative music group from Brooklyn, NY. The group was founded by John Flansburgh and John Linnell, who released their first album in 1986. Throughout their 25+ year career, the band has racked up several charting albums and singles, as well as two Grammy awards--one in 2002 for their song "Boss Of Me", (the theme song for Malcolm in the Middle) and the other in 2009 for their children's album Here Come The 123s. They continue to record alternative albums while branching out into the realm of children's music, and have sold over 4 million records in total.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 60 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A new bedtime fave! November 14, 2003

By Michael Goff

Format:Hardcover

Our 2 boys (3 and 7) are big TMBG fans. They love No!, saw the children's show in NYC last spring, and enjoy all the songs on Dial-A-Song CDs. Our TiVo recorded TMBG on Conan when they performed No!/Clap Your Hands - we haven't deleted yet and it's still frequently requested (and danced to!).

So needless to say, when we heard about Bed, Bed, Bed we were very excited - and we weren't disappointed! The kids aside, I really love "Impossible" - a great song and wonderfully illustrated in the book. This book and CD are now part of our bed time routine. The songs are perfectly ordered to get things slowed down and everyone ready for slumber (except last night when our 3 year old couldn't stop dancing - note to self: no more chocolate milk at dinner!).

We highly recommend this book/CD and have already picked it out for several holiday gifts.

49 of 53 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars A must for TMBG fans, not sure kids will like it October 31, 2003

By beckyjean VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I love They Might Be Giants. I love love love them. I've been listening to their music for more than 15 years, and it's been very exciting to hear their music evolve over that time.

Their foray into the world of children's entertainment has been exciting for me, since I'm a children's-book junkie. But while I think the "No!" family CD hits the mark, the Johns' "children's book," "Bed Bed Bed" is a bit off.

The design and illustrations are beautiful, of course. TMBG is known for their cutting-edge taste in designers almost as much as for their music, and so the design and illustrations of the book are bound to catch a child's attention and hold it for a bit.

The text of the book, however, is just song lyrics, and I'm of the opinion that song lyrics generally don't make good reading -- without the music, at least half (if not more) of the experience is missing. And TMBG lyrics are so typically strange, you really do need the music to complete the context.

Of course, the book was meant to be read along with the enclosed four-song CD, and I do think the book is rather pointless without the CD. I take issue, however, with the recasting of the book's title song as a "lullaby." This plodding, tuneless version of the song would put anybody to sleep, in the hope of getting away from Kimya Dawson's monotonous voice. They may have done better to kick off the book and CD with the march-like, sound-effects studded version of "Bed Bed Bed" as it's featured on the "No!" album, and saved the floating, lovely "Idlewild" for the closing lullaby.

Last week I attended one of TMBG's "family concerts," and it was pretty clear that the "No!" album is building a very young sector in the TMBG listening audience. There's a lot to love about the "No!" disc, with its upbeat songs and fun animations. The "Bed Bed Bed" book and CD, while a beautiful package, is less accessible. I do hope the Johns will give children's publishing another shot!

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars CRUCIAL element of my 2-year-old's bedtime routine April 16, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Here's the routine: jammies, brush and floss, Bed Bed Bed, lights out. Every night, like clockwork. In fact, the only way I can get her to stop fooling around with the toothbrush is to say, "Let's go listen to Bed, Bed, Bed!" And she hops down from her stool and runs on tiptoes to her room shouting "BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED BED!" When I start the CD, she alternates between studying the pictures in the book very carefully and dancing wildly. She calms down a bit at Idylwild (her favorite song?), and at the end of the fourth song she says "Night night time" and curls up with her pillow and doll. THAT'S IT! Is that amazing or what! Yeah, I'm a TMBG fan, but this CD/book isn't about me and my interest in TMBG, it's not about being a great work of art, it's about the MIRACLE of getting my daughter to go to bed without a fuss.