Ten in the Bed - Hardcover

Even non-teddy bear fans will love this fresh version of a classic nursery song. Beautifully photographed by David Ellwand, the big board book features 10 old-fashioned plush teddy bears that "Roll over! Roll over!" until nine of them have fallen out of bed, leaving the littlest one by himself and, to his surprise, lonely. In a friendly twist on the original, the small bear, rather than saying "Good night!" invites his neighbors back in: "So they all jumped up and got back in... There were 10 in the bed and the little one said, "Night, night!" Ellwand's clever design portrays the bears in different poses—-crossed arms, turned heads, flipped bodies--on each page, making it seem as though even their expressions change. The spreads are divided between the white bed on the left and the pastel background on the right, on which the ousted teddies tumble. Toddlers will enjoy counting down from 10, and watching the space allotted the bed shrink while the right side grows to accommodate the falling bears. (Baby to preschool) --Emilie Coulter

David Ellwand, whose great talent spans from the best-selling Fairie-ality to the Amazing Baby board book series, works from a studio in Dorset, England.