As young children we were certain a monster lived under the bed, waiting to nibble our bare toes. Another monster lurked inside the closet after dark. This book is about that time in our lives—but not about the monsters. The essays in Under the Bed refer to the bittersweet loss of innocence that occurs as we grow up. Collectively, this book of essays is a celebration of childhood innocence; a mixture of nostalgia and humor. It’s about visits to Grandma’s house and chasing chickens. It’s about collisions with immovable objects, ill-advised pyrotechnics, and the exquisite agony of discovering the opposite sex. Under the Bed is about growing up during a time when parents had to call you inside at the end of long summer evenings, instead of trying to make you close the online games and go out. It’s about growing up during a time when kids left the phone at home and devoted all their attention to what they were doing and who they were with. If you grew up during a simpler era, these essays will help you recall, relive, and enjoy the humor and innocence of childhood. If you didn’t, they will help you understand what life was like for your parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and teachers.
