Mr. Underbed

When Mr Underbed keeps him awake at night, shaking the bed and snoring loudly, Jim reaches for his earmuffs… only to get more than he bargained for!

Teaching Ideas and Resources:

Write a prequel to the book that explains where the monsters came from. How did they all arrive in Jim’s bedroom?
Write a sequel to the book. What happens to Jim and the monsters the following night?
Write your own story about a child who discovers a monster under their bed.
Imagine that there is a friendly monster hiding in your classroom somewhere. Where is it hiding? Write a story about what happens when somebody discovers it.
Role-play an interview with Jim (or the monsters). Why did Jim decide to give up his bed?
Think of some words to describe the setting of Jim’s bedroom. What things can you see? What might you be able to hear?
Think of some words to describe Mr. Underbed (and the other monsters).

How many monsters were in Jim’s bedroom by the end of this story? How many eyes did they have in total? How many arms? How many legs?
Design a new duvet cover for Jim’s bed. Can you use repeating patterns?
Look at the illustrations on the inside covers and compare the heights of the monsters. Can you estimate their sizes in centimetres?

Create your own illustrations of a monster that might live under the bed.
Watch this video of Chris Riddell drawing Mr. Underbed. Can you use some of his techniques in your own drawings?