The Crocodile Under the Bed

Mattie is eager to accompany his family to a party for the Queen’s birthday but he is ill in bed. Extremely disappointed, he has to remain at home in Grandpa’s care with a party blower and the promise of some birthday cake. All of a sudden he hears a voice asking if he wants to go to a party. The voice belongs to an enormous crocodile that appears from under his bed offering to take him to said party. With a toot from Matty’s blower they take off to another royal party– the King’s birthday party; but this King isn’t the human kind, he’s a handsome lion. With Chimpy to look after him, Matty is ready to sample some of the rides on offer. There’s the ‘rip-roaring’ tiger ride, a bouncy chimp ride and an enormous slide with a surprise at the end. After all the excitement, the friendly crocodile is waiting to fly him home in the nick of time, just as the rest of the family returns. Their party, he hears has been a washout though they have brought him some rather damp cake. ‘… you really didn’t miss anything,’ dad tells Matty.

This enchanting story from the amazing Judith Kerr, was originally started as a follow-up to her classic The Tiger Who Came to Tea but she has now completely rewritten it. Like its predecessor, this one is a wonderful stimulus for young children’s imaginations.