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No Such Thing
There is no such thing as a monster, and certainly no such thing as a monster under the bed. That's what Howard's mother tells him.
There is no such thing as a boy, and certainly no such thing as a boy on top of a bed. That's what Monster's mother tells him.
But no matter what their mothers say, Howard and Monster remain afraid of the dark. Then one spooky night Howard and Monster come face-to-face with each other.
Jackie French Koller and Betsy Lewin have created a "monster-under-the-bed" story that offers the perfect cure for fear of the dark.
There is no such thing as a boy, and certainly no such thing as a boy on top of a bed. That's what Monster's mother tells him.
But no matter what their mothers say, Howard and Monster remain afraid of the dark. Then one spooky night Howard and Monster come face-to-face with each other.
Jackie French Koller and Betsy Lewin have created a "monster-under-the-bed" story that offers the perfect cure for fear of the dark.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1997
2 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Jackie French Koller
50 books26 followersJackie French Koller (born 1948) is an American author of picture books, chapter books, and novels for children and young adults. She lives and writes in western Massachusetts.
Koller is also an accomplished painter. Her interest in art inspired her to open The Little Black Dog Gallery in Westfield, Massachusetts.
Koller's young-adult novel If I Had One Wish was adapted into a Disney Channel Original Movie under the title You Wish!.
Koller is also an accomplished painter. Her interest in art inspired her to open The Little Black Dog Gallery in Westfield, Massachusetts.
Koller's young-adult novel If I Had One Wish was adapted into a Disney Channel Original Movie under the title You Wish!.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 8, 2019
When his family moves to a new house - a lovely, old, new house - Howard is excited at first. Then he has to go to sleep in his big, old bed, and he becomes convinced that there is a monster underneath it. His mother assures him that there is no such thing as monsters. Monster, meanwhile, is convinced that there is a scary boy above his bed, and although his mother tells him that boys are just pretend, he isn't convinced. Each young creature tries his mother's patience, as he cries out again and again in alarm. But what will happen when Harold and Monster come face to face...?
An amusing bedtime reassurance tale, No Such Thing reminds me quite a bit of such titles as Mercer Mayer's There's a Nightmare in My Closet , or Dr. Seuss's What Was I Scared Of? , both of which explore the idea of our childhood boogeymans being every bit as afraid of us, as we are of them. The resolution of the story here will offer comfort to young children afraid of what might be lurking in the dark, while the very last page will leave them giggling. The artwork, done by Betty Lewin in pen and ink and watercolor, is full of movement and fun, as might be expected from the illustrator of the Click, Clack, Moo books. I don't know that these illustrations are as accomplished as those in the Cronin books, but then, this was an earlier title. Recommended to anyone looking for humorous reassurance stories for the picture-book set.
An amusing bedtime reassurance tale, No Such Thing reminds me quite a bit of such titles as Mercer Mayer's There's a Nightmare in My Closet , or Dr. Seuss's What Was I Scared Of? , both of which explore the idea of our childhood boogeymans being every bit as afraid of us, as we are of them. The resolution of the story here will offer comfort to young children afraid of what might be lurking in the dark, while the very last page will leave them giggling. The artwork, done by Betty Lewin in pen and ink and watercolor, is full of movement and fun, as might be expected from the illustrator of the Click, Clack, Moo books. I don't know that these illustrations are as accomplished as those in the Cronin books, but then, this was an earlier title. Recommended to anyone looking for humorous reassurance stories for the picture-book set.
July 6, 2019
I did not see that ending coming. I almost want to give the book five stars.
Recommended whether or not you're into the trope, all you need is an inner child with a sense of humor.
Recommended whether or not you're into the trope, all you need is an inner child with a sense of humor.
August 13, 2021
This one was funny! It gave me a similar feeling to There's No Such Thing as a Dragon. There's the well-known story of a boy who thinks there's a monster under his bead who will eat him, whose mother assures him that there is no such thing as monsters. But the real fun is that there IS a monster under the bed who thinks there's a boy on top of HIS bed who will eat HIM! And his mother also says there is no such thing as boys. You might imagine where this is going...Things turn out well for the young ones in the story, but their mothers are going to be in for a big surprise at the end!
P.S. The scariest thing in this book, by far, is the monster's pet tarantula!
P.S. The scariest thing in this book, by far, is the monster's pet tarantula!
January 27, 2018
This was one of the neatest children's stories that I have ever read. I like the way the author captured the monster and how he felt about being scared too. Wish I would have gotten this one for my own son when he was little.
October 21, 2014
Being in such good spirits for Halloween, I found this book thinking it was going to be a spooky book for kids. I was sadly disappointed, but I loved the book anyway. When a little boy goes to bed to hear noises under his bed, he believes there's a monster under his bed. When a monster goes to bed, he thinks there is a boy over his bed. Jackie French Koller's witty book brings to life what happens when there really is a monster (or boy) under (or over) your bed.
Looking at the illustrations on the cover and on the inside pages, the drawings are very abstract and scribbly. The images consist of darker color shades and the use of a lot of thick lines. The illustrations take up the whole page and the text is embedded into the pictures, usually on blank walls or borders. The mood changes throughout the book. In the beginning, the boy, Harold, was very excited about moving into this new home and the mood was joyful, until the sun went down and Harold had to go to bed. The mood changed from joyful to eerie and scary when Harold tries to prove his suspicion of a monster being under his bed. The mood then changes again from eerie to silly when the boy and the monster finally meet.
Jackie Koller really puts a lot of effort in her books to make her story not only funny, but also engaging to readers. She makes her books relatable to younger children who have that sense of curiosity about things like monsters and things that cannot be explained. This book is good for older children who can sympathize with the protagonist and his struggles. This is a great book for anyone who love to laugh and can read things a little on the spooky side!
Looking at the illustrations on the cover and on the inside pages, the drawings are very abstract and scribbly. The images consist of darker color shades and the use of a lot of thick lines. The illustrations take up the whole page and the text is embedded into the pictures, usually on blank walls or borders. The mood changes throughout the book. In the beginning, the boy, Harold, was very excited about moving into this new home and the mood was joyful, until the sun went down and Harold had to go to bed. The mood changed from joyful to eerie and scary when Harold tries to prove his suspicion of a monster being under his bed. The mood then changes again from eerie to silly when the boy and the monster finally meet.
Jackie Koller really puts a lot of effort in her books to make her story not only funny, but also engaging to readers. She makes her books relatable to younger children who have that sense of curiosity about things like monsters and things that cannot be explained. This book is good for older children who can sympathize with the protagonist and his struggles. This is a great book for anyone who love to laugh and can read things a little on the spooky side!
April 17, 2012
This is such a cute book and could really help during the "monster under my bed" or "afraid of the dark" times that all children go through. I would really recommend this to a child or an adult if his/her child were going through this rough stage as a way to lighten the mood on the situation.
I would also encourage young writers to use this concept of 'flipping the victim'. What I mean by that is that we normally would not imagine a monster being afraid of a human boy. This concept really enhanced the story and I think young writers could use this in their own writing.
I would also encourage young writers to use this concept of 'flipping the victim'. What I mean by that is that we normally would not imagine a monster being afraid of a human boy. This concept really enhanced the story and I think young writers could use this in their own writing.
January 28, 2018
Love this. Boy thinks there's a monster under the bed. Monster thinks there is a boy on top of his bed. They end up meeting, making friends. Then they trade places and call for mom to come quick. I wish there was a part two to this book.
August 25, 2017
I liked the parallel stories between the child and monster. I thought the story was easy to follow enjoyable to read. A good book to read to children if they worry about monsters in their rooms.
November 8, 2019
Oh, I liked this one.
What if little monster's parents didn't believe him either? What if they kept telling him, "There's no such thing as boys?"
Great bedtime read aloud.
What if little monster's parents didn't believe him either? What if they kept telling him, "There's no such thing as boys?"
Great bedtime read aloud.
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February 4, 2020This is a very relatable book for children who are afraid to sleep in their own room at night in fear that a "monster" may be living in their closet or under there bed.
December 26, 2021
A fun twist on the monster-under-the-bed story!
September 26, 2022
A cute story that seemed predictable (I was going to give it 3 stars) but the ending bumped it up to 4 stars. My kid just thought the story was ok, but she loved the ending.
March 8, 2017
Do you remember the 'monster under the bed' from your childhood? Was the monster real? Or was it simply an overactive imagination come to life? Author Jackie French Koller looks at things from a different perspective. What if the little monster actually slept under the bed but was frightened of the boy who slept above him? Don't boys eat little monsters? Both human mother and monster mom calm their respective children in this short and charming tale, proving that the most unlikely creatures can become friends.
Another award-winning illustrated story by Jackie French Koller. Your little ones will love this story!
Another award-winning illustrated story by Jackie French Koller. Your little ones will love this story!
January 23, 2014
This is a humorous tale that tells two parallel stories of youngsters being afraid and their mothers comforting them again and again. The young boy, Howard, and the young monster, Monster, both get hugs and cuddles and reassurances, and then finally threats if they don't settle down and go to sleep.
The narrative is humorous and has a funny ending. The pen and ink and watercolor illustrations are colorful and cartoonish and are certainly reminiscent of Betsy Lewin's work with Doreen Cronin on the book Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type. We enjoyed reading this book together.
The narrative is humorous and has a funny ending. The pen and ink and watercolor illustrations are colorful and cartoonish and are certainly reminiscent of Betsy Lewin's work with Doreen Cronin on the book Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type. We enjoyed reading this book together.
June 1, 2012
Howard loves the house his family has moved into. He even loves his huge new bed. Except when it gets dark; then he's convinced there is a monster under his bed. After many visits in to reassure her son, Howards' mother tells him that if he calls her in again he will be in trouble.
Meanwhile, under the bed, it is bedtime for Monster, too. But he is positive that there is a boy on top of his bed! His mother checks several times until she, too, has had enough. All of a sudden, both Howard and Monster come face to face! AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!
When everyone settles down, Monster and Howard get to know each other and decide to play a practical joke on their mothers...
Meanwhile, under the bed, it is bedtime for Monster, too. But he is positive that there is a boy on top of his bed! His mother checks several times until she, too, has had enough. All of a sudden, both Howard and Monster come face to face! AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!
When everyone settles down, Monster and Howard get to know each other and decide to play a practical joke on their mothers...
December 6, 2011
This was cute, and I liked the whole idea of getting a kid to befriend that monster under the bed. However, my 7-year-old was too afraid to read the last lines because of the dread of the scare the "kids" were giving their Moms and the trouble in which he thought they might end up. I agreed with him that they ended the book with a REALLY gruesomely mean trick on the Moms, though they never show what happens next. So I sort of acted out what might happen in a really casual silly way that ended with laughs. In real life each mom would probably really die of a heart attack on the spot! :)
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February 4, 2016A boy and his family move into a big old house which he loves--until it gets dark and he’s afraid of the monster under the bed. Meanwhile the monster under the bed is afraid of the boy on top of the bed. Both call out repeatedly to their mothers who assure them that there are no such things as boys/monsters. When the boy and monster hear each other crying they fearfully check the other out only to find they’re both equally scared. They become friends and decide to play a trick on their mothers.
December 3, 2019
It's a concept that I really enjoy. The execution isn't perfect here. The illustrations bothered me: they have a Quentin Blake fuzziness but left me feeling like I was waiting for my eyes to adjust. The writing is slightly amateur. It's hard to describe, but reading it is a bit like seeing-the-puppet-strings. It's like I can easily imagine the author typing away -- but I should not be able to. The words should not read as so consciously written as they sometimes do here.
January 28, 2011
Again my kindergartners LOVED this book. The illustrations are great and it helps the children to think about the story from two different perspectives, the boy's perspective and the monster's perspective. It also ends on a thinking note to start a little book discussion with the kids. Very fun book.
October 10, 2015
Adorable.
A boy's afraid of a monster beneath this bed. The monster beneath this bed is afraid of boys. Both have moms who know there's no reason to be afraid.
The monster pulls cobwebs tight around him instead of a blanket, awww. The illustrations showing both the top and bottom of the bed were particularly successful.
Entirely won me over. 4.5
A boy's afraid of a monster beneath this bed. The monster beneath this bed is afraid of boys. Both have moms who know there's no reason to be afraid.
The monster pulls cobwebs tight around him instead of a blanket, awww. The illustrations showing both the top and bottom of the bed were particularly successful.
Entirely won me over. 4.5
September 29, 2016
A story about a boy afraid of the monster under his bed and the monster afraid of the boy on top of his bed. Although I've read books similar, this one is much better. I loved the trick the boy and monster decided to play on their moms at the end and how it's not implicitly stated, but teaches a little implied meaning.
July 26, 2010
The boy is worried that there’s a monster under his bed, but the monster is worried that there’s a boy on top of his bed!
June 10, 2011
What a funny story! A perfect twist on the ages old story of the monster under the bed. The ending makes me want to write a second story about what happens next. It's a lot of fun.
October 13, 2015
When I read this to my 4 year old niece, I wasn't sure if she'd get it since the ending is implied. She shrieked and immediately wanted us to read it again. We both love it.
April 11, 2012
The surprise ending makes my first graders squeal with delight! What a fun read!
May 27, 2013
Very funny take on the "monster under my bed" theme. Both kids enjoyed it very much.
June 23, 2015
This was a fantastic book! It had me, my husband, and my 4-year-old giggling the whole time. So silly and so fun.
September 10, 2015
Absolutely loved it. My daughter has never mentioned a monster under her bed but she still loved this book and got a kick out of knowing they'd be just as scared. ♡♡
March 2, 2016
A funny take on the old "monster under the bed" trope -- excellent for examining point of view.
January 13, 2017
My boss had just come from reading it to her son's class. Looked cute so I read it real fast. Adorable story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews