If you've never had the chance to sleep in a bunk bed, you're missing out. I, usually, ended up on the bottom of these beds, since I never seemed to feel comfortable on top. The ladders were always a pain...sometimes, literally...and it felt too open as if a person might roll right off. That might have something to do with my small fear of heights, though. How are/were you when it comes to bunk beds?
Today's read takes two brothers and, I'm guessing, looks at the constant battle a bunk bed causes. This could be quite a funny read or, maybe, it showcases brotherly relationships. If we open the book up, we'll find out. So, let's do that!
KING OF THE CASTLE
by Heather Smith
Illustrated by Andrea Armstrong
Kids Can Press
Picture Book
32 pages
ages 4 to 8
COMING OCTOBER 6th!!!
From award-winning author Heather Smith, a sweet and relatable story about the relationship between two brothers … and their bunk bed.
Every night at bedtime, a little boy’s older brother climbs into the top bunk of their bed and taunts, “I’m the king of the castle, and you’re the dirty rascal.” As annoying as this is for the little brother, his big brother also provides a sense of security. Sometimes in the dark, the little brother will startle awake. “You there?” he will whisper. “I’m here, Rascal. Now go to sleep,” his brother will whisper back. As time passes, his brother starts going out more with his friends. And then leaves for camp. And, suddenly, the boy is left to ponder how it feels to be without his brother in the bunk bed, and in his life.
This touching story by multi-award-winning author Heather Smith movingly conveys the complicated feelings a child has for their older sibling. The bunk bed offers a perfect metaphor for the sibling relationship, one looking up and one looking down, the older one irritating the younger one with his big brother status while also making him feel safe. Illustrations by Andrea Armstrong complement the emotional tone of the story, with the younger boy’s expressive face at the center of many of the scenes. This endearing book will resonate with readers of all types, younger and older siblings, children and adults alike. Offering a unique look at how siblings’ relationships change as they get older, the book can also prompt discussions with young children about their relationships with family members. It’s an excellent representation of growth mindset and works for character-education lessons on adaptability and courage.
MY TIDBITS
Being the constant lesser in a battle for king of beds brings tons of unexpected heart.
The older brother has long claimed his place at the top bunk of the bed, while the younger constantly deals with his antics from below. After all, the person on the top is always the king, and the one on the bottom is the rascal. The older brother uses this to tease the younger one constantly, but rather than rebel or tattle, the younger one takes it with a grumble and a little frustration. As time goes on and the two get older, things begin to change, and soon, the older one goes off to summer camp, leaving the younger one in the bunk all alone.
Anyone who has shared a bunk bed will easily relate with the situation and connect with these characters from the very first page. Even those who haven't had the chance to 'enjoy' this sleeping arrangement will understand the relationship between the brothers and sympathize. The older brother's constant jabs wear at the nerves as the younger brother puts up with everything as best he can. Listeners might begin to wonder why he puts up with it. There's a slight wrongness surrounding it, but it's exactly this which hits home and brings the odd balance sibling relationships can have to life. While this bitter-sweetness glides along with the story, there's also enough humor and bunk bed specific fun to add some smiles and lightness. What other bed can have a basket delivery system? So the wonder of bunk beds also shines through and shows how special they can be. The entire thing wraps up with tons of warmth, sibling goodness, and fuzzy feels to make it a wholesome and enjoyable read.
The illustrations and writing work hand-in-hand. While the text tells the story, the illustrations play two roles: to bring the brothers and their relationship to visual life and to offer some humorous side information such as how the basket system works or bed differences. This adds a creative and playful aspect which will bring more than a few smiles and comments. The text works very well for the age group and concentrates more on the relationship to create a nice balance. So, this works well in group as well as single settings. It's especially great for those who deal with sibling antics and reminds how oddly wonderful this relationship can be.
And here they are...
Heather Smith spent much of her early life wrestling with words. Not only was she a reluctant reader, she struggled with speech as well. Unable to pronounce certain words, she became a walking thesaurus, anxiously swapping out words she wanted to say with words she could say. Today, Heather wrestles with words in a different way – she’s a writer. Instead of dodging words, she grabs them tight with both hands and finds them a home on the page.
Originally from Newfoundland, Heather now lives in Waterloo, Ontario, with her husband and three children. Her east coast roots inspire much of her writing. When Heather is not writing, she is probably eating toast and/or watching documentaries that most people would find boring.
Twitter: @heather_t_smith
Instagram: @heather.t.smith
Facebook: @HeatherWritesBooks
Andrea Armstrong is an artist based in Vancouver, British Columbia. She specializes in character-driven art, children’s book illustration, portraiture and, more recently, animation.
