Under-the-Bed Fred

My six-year-old granddaughter love the book. I thought it was a little silly And was afraid she wouldn’t like it. She’s asked me to read it multiple times.

My 3 yr old grandson is scared of the dark. He loves the book plus his grandfather is named Fred!

Mommy Review: UNDER THE BED FRED by Linda Bailey is at a good reading level for my first grader and the plotline is also relevant to her age. I like how each chapter was divided and related back to school and growing up and facing your fears. The graphics were great too and the story had a lot of emphasis points but the words were never hard to read or comprehend. I enjoyed watching my daughter's reactions while she read.Callie's Kid Review: 5 stars. I would recommend it to my friends because it's a good book. I loved the pictures in the book - some were funny and some were cool and some were colorful. I learned that when you have show and tell, maybe don't bring something that is alive. I also learned that if you think there is a monster under your bed, there really isn't since monsters don't exist.I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book offers us a wonderful marriage of amusing text and warm and inviting drawings in the service of an upbeat and cheerful tale.While the book is short there's a lot packed into its few chapters. Leo has to meet and befriend the monster under his bed. There is the naming of the monster. There is comeuppance for a visiting bully. There's a funny turn by Fred the monster at Leo's school show and tell. Through it all the friendship between Leo and Fred grows, and both are wiser and better for it.It's sort of amazing how much good stuff is packed in here. Messages about bravery, friendship, understanding, facing one's fears, dealing with differences, and on and on. On top of that the two characters are, to put it simply, appealing. In a few words and some dialogue we are taken by Fred's patience, kindness and loneliness and by Leo's generosity and understanding.This is not at all a frantic or silly monster!! book. By its words and by its charming and calm but expressive pastels and simple lines this is a book with some hidden weight to it. There are jokes drawn in around the edges and Leo/Fred conversations that sometimes read like a double-act comedy routine, but more than any of that this is a kind and big-hearted book. A very impressive find and a lovely addition to the shelf for even the youngest readers, or those we read to.(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

Leo is quite afraid of the monster under his bed until the night he really has to go to the bathroom and he successfully makes a deal with the monster to not grab his ankles. That one ankle-swipe free trip to the bathroom opens the door to a most unexpected friendship. Leo helps the monster get a name, Fred, and Fred helps Leo deal with a bully and share-and-tell.This is a relatively easy read aimed at kids just getting into reading chapter books on their own. It has some fantastically humorous illustrations that give the story an extra oomph. Fred is a curious mixture of friendly monster with a clear sense of purpose – he must scare. Leo may be just the perfect kid for Fred. (Look at the wall decorations in Leo’s room and see if you can figure out why Leo is ok with a slightly scary friend.) And Leo is just the right straight man for Fred’s comedic antics; I found myself chuckling aloud at several points. I hope Leo and Fred get more adventures. I can see many lower grade readers discovering they love reading just because of Leo and Fred. For a fun compare/contrast with lower grade readers, have them compare/contrast Fred with Sully from Monsters Inc. Yes, there’s some similarities, but there are plenty of differences as well. The vocabulary in this is pretty beginning reader friendly. Most of the bigger words are ones you can sound out, and the majority are short words. For kids who have tackled some reading on their own and are looking for the next challenge, this may be the thing. I’ll be recommending this title to our elementary library for purchase. Hand this one to lower grade readers who want a funny read.I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

'Under-The-Bed Fred' by Linda Bailey with illustrations by Colin Jack is a chapter book for young readers about what to do about the monster under your bed.Young Leo is convinced there is a monster under his bed. He knows because of the amount of noise it makes. When Leo finally finds the courage, he confronts the monster and finds that they both have fears. The monster gets named Fred, and while he is still occasionally still scary, he and Leo become friends.The story is about being afraid of something whether it is real or not and facing it anyway. It's also about being willing to make friends with someone different. The illustrations are silly and not too scary.I received a review copy of this ebook from Tundra Books, Penguin Random House Canada, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

I got this short chapter book for my 8 year old son, who is in 2nd grade. He loves these types of books and is getting to the age where we sometimes read a chapter of a short chapter book before bed instead of picture books (although he still loves picture books, too!). This is a super cute book packed with funny moments, friendship, bravery, and a gentle dismantling of the "monster under the bed" fear so common in children. The illustrations are very well done and both the story and the illustrations kept my son's attention. We really like this one. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy for honest review.