There's an Alligator Under My Bed

by Mercer Mayer

Mercer Mayer's There's an Alligator Under My Bed

Book review by Sarah Denslow

Ages 4-8

A child faces fear fancifully

Mercer Mayer’s There’s an Alligator Under My Bed tells the story of one young boy facing his fears head on.

The narrator just knows there’s an alligator beneath his bed.

See his tail hanging out?

See his eye peeking out? The narrator has to be very careful when he goes to bed, going to the lengths of walking up a plank to get into bed, always keeping an eye on the alligator.

He tries to enlist the help of Mom and Dad, but they never see the alligator. Well, it’s up to him then to do something.

He raids the fridge for things alligators like to eat (an odd mix of candy, soda, and veggies) and lays a trail from the garage to his bed. Sure enough, out comes the alligator and slowly makes his way to the garage, where our narrator shuts the door after him and declares victory.

Only trouble: what if Dad has problems getting to his car tomorrow? Well, he’ll just leave a note.

Alligator takes a common child fear and puts the child in control; he’s capable of dealing with the problem on his own, making this an entertaining tale of facing fears.

With Mercer Mayer’s classic understanding of childhood and realistic illustrations, There's an Alligator under My Bed is a wonderful, empowering tale for any child.

Webmaster's note: Mercer Mayer is the author of the Little Critter books.