It Came from Beneath the Bed! [Hardcover]

James Howe (Author), Brett Helquist (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2002 | Age Level: 7 and up | Series: Tales from the House of Bunnicula (Unnumbered Hardcover) (Book 1)

Dear possible reader of this book,

I want to be a writer, just like my uncle Harold, who wrote a bunch of books about our friend Bunnicula. So I wrote this story. And boy! Did I ever get into trouble! My friend Delilah stopped speaking to me because I put her in my book. Uncle Harold stopped speaking to me because I didn't put him in my book. A writer's life isn't easy!

But back to my story: It's about how a talented and lovable (not to mention smart) wirehaired dachshund puppy named Howie saves the world from a disgusting, evil menace named...oops, that would give away the story. But trust me, this menace is disgusting and evil, all right!!!

Uncle Harold, who is speaking to me again, says it's an exciting book, even though it has too many adjectives.

I have no idea what he's talking about. I just hope you like the story.

Your friend,

Howie

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

There's nothing like a series to keep kids turning pages. Bunnicula's family is back, and Uncle Harold steps aside to let Howie, the family dachshund, tell all in It Came from Beneath the Bed!, the first in the Tales from the House of Bunnicula series by James Howe, illus. by Brett Helquist. The inaugural adventure finds the doggy fighting off a marauding stuffed animal culled from the clutter. In Book 2, Invasion of the Mind Swappers from Asteroid 6!, Howie must save Delilah from aliens and thwart their plan to take over the planet. With Helquist's illustrations and a tongue-in-cheek note to readers on the back of the book, the unjacketed hardcovers bear a strong resemblance to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. For Beach Reading...
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Yet another canine member of the Monroe menagerie flirts with literary glory in this mock horror tale. Harold, the "sad-eyed, droopy-eared" stories-must-be-told narrator of previous adventures, defers to his "nephew" to script this series, and the books turn out to be unexpected how-to-write-a-story primers. Harold serves as Howie's experienced editor who offers (often hilariously unheeded) advice and sage insight into a writer's lonely, compulsive, roller-coaster life. His timeless "write what you know" pearl transforms into a narcissistic, Woody Allenesque parody of a detective novel in which literary license has obviously been revoked. Howie revises as Harold criticizes and the story about conquering a ravenous stuffed koala bear that has come to life takes off. Notebook-like "Howie's Writing Journal" pages are interspersed throughout the text to apprise readers of his tortuous writing process. These "tales" could easily become the standard textbook for creative-writing classes.
John Sigwald, Unger Memorial Library, Plainview, TX
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers; 1 edition (July 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689839472
• ISBN-13: 978-0689839474
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,251,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn Writing from a Dog....Fun way to teach kids, March 29, 2003

By 

"mhpulham" (Lindon, Utah USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: It Came from Beneath the Bed! (Hardcover)

After taking many writing classes on "how to teach kids to write"...I stumbled across James Howe's new series, "Tales From the House of Bunnicula"...and I began to learn how to teach writing, from a dog. The whole time I was reading the book, lesson plans popped into my head... "I could use this to teach simile...or that would make a great lesson on 'cliffhangers', or when and how to use adjectives...and this part would show what 'literary license' means..... the book is full of laugh-out-loud humor. I can't wait to share these tales with my fourth grade students. Jame Howe's books are not only fun to read, but you soon realize that you can learn a lot from a dog...and from great authors. This is a Howling Success, I know I'll be using them in my classroom.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Biggest Koala Bear in the world!!, October 22, 2003

A Kid's Review

This review is from: It Came from Beneath the Bed! (Hardcover)

I enjoyed this book even though I did not read the other books in the series. Bunnicula is about a boy who wants to rule the world. He made a potion and spilt it on his stuffed Koala Bear named Pudgykins.The potion made Pudgykins grow really, really big. He was eating everything. After he ate one thing he grew one foot taller. At the end of the book they put him on a boat and brought him to to an Island where people dump trash. People were trying to figure out what to do with him. But they just left him on the Island. I like this book very much.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good read for kids., December 2, 2007

By 

J. Farsaci - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: It Came from Beneath the Bed! (Paperback)

My son was so excited when he was given this book to add to his 'Bunnicula' collection. It has turned out to be a great book, like the others in the series.