Penny, The Review Group's reviewer Penny for Your ThoughtsThe Review Group
Children's ✦ Penny’s Take

Not Enough Beds

Lisa Bullard · 2004
80/100
👍 Worth It

Marrying an alphabet book to a chaotic Christmas Eve family gathering is a genuinely clever idea, and it earns its keep on both fronts — kids practice letters while the comedy of overcrowded relatives lands warmly. The New York Times and Booklist endorsements confirm this isn't just charming, it's well-executed. The narrow seasonal window is a real limitation, but within that window it's a reliable holiday staple.

✦ Penny’s Take — this is The Review Group’s own editorial assessment. Penny’s analytical review line researched this book from real sources and scored it across the lenses shown below. It’s an honest first-party read — not a page-by-page personal one. The gold ✓ Penny Tested mark is reserved for books Penny reads cover to cover herself.
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Show the math
Verdict receipt0–100
safety92
substance75
craft82
originality80
accuracy85
hype70
age-fit85
human-eye80
Penny’s verdict80
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