Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants) by They Might Be Giants Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Bed, Bed, Bed (They Might Be Giants)
Book Review: A must for TMBG fans, not sure kids will like it
Summary: 3 Stars
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!
Book Review: Half Good, Half Bad
Summary: 3 Stars
As an avid TMBG fan, I eagerly awaited the release of this book. While I do not regret my purchase, the book is not as useable as I had hoped. The first two songs with this book go painfully slow. The pages of illustrations for this part of the book must keep your child's attention for over a minute.
The second two songs of the book, "Idlewild" and "Bed, Bed Bed", go much quicker and are better able to hold a child's attention, though it can go a bit too quickly at times and can be difficult to turn the pages in time to the music.
There are no indications for when to turn the page, so this is not an independent reading book for a young child.
The music is great, though, and the illustrations are charming. A definite must-have for any TMBG fan.
Book Review: Another Hit From John and John
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a sweet little storybook illustrating four songs from the included CD. The pictures are simple and very cute, drawn beautifully by Marcel Dzama. The fourth song, Bed Bed Bed, is a different version than the one on the "No" album. This one is sung by Kimya Dawson and the pace is much slower than the original.Song number two, Happy Doesn't Have to Have an Ending, is constant repeat in our house. My kids, who are 8 and 6, just love it. They were already big fans of "No", and they love to read along while the songs play.