The Bed Head of Ned

This good-humored story introduces a boy with a case of bed head like no other. Each morning, Ned's wild tangle of red hair assumes the shape of an object, including a submarine, a bowl of fruit, and Mt. Rushmore. Eventually, his mother takes him to a doctor, who says, "After examining your son, and consulting this chart,/ I've determined unequivocally this is some sort of art!" A museum curator puts Ned, his bed, and his ever-changing hair on display, and "The bed head of Ned became a coast-to-coast hit,/ They even made shampoo with his picture on it!" Readers may grow to share Ned's boredom as he lies in his bed day after day in the museum, until, after years of lounging around, he goes bald and is no longer an attraction. Though there's plenty of humor in the premise and some fun turns of phrase, a rocky cadence and lack of action undermine Platto's verse. Helland's cartoons portray Ned's tresses with hyperbolic flair, and the enormous, football-shaped head he gives the boy provides a large canvas for Ned's magical, hair-based sculptures. Ages 6%E2%80%9312.