There’s a Ladybug in My Bed
A poem by Lora Hollings — and a world of wondering waiting inside it.
Some poems open a door. This one opens a whole town. A little girl falls asleep gazing at a ladybug painted on her pillowcase — and when her eyes close, the painted ladybug takes her hand and they fly together to Ladybugville, a place where every resident has a story, a skill, and a spark.
There’s a baker making strawberry tarts, a mayor in a stovepipe hat, an astronaut who insists he’s been to Mars. The poem is a celebration of community, individuality, and the vivid inner life that lives inside every child at bedtime — waiting for the lights to go out and the dreaming to begin.
The Poem
There’s a Ladybug in My Bed
Before You Read — Ask This
Try these questions with your child before reading the poem out loud. Their answers will make the reading richer.
🌙 Wondering Questions
- Have you ever dreamed about a toy or picture coming alive? What happened?
- If a tiny creature lived on your pillow, what do you think it might whisper to you at night?
- If you could build a whole town, who would live there and what would they do?
- What does the word mischievous make you picture?
Word Treasure Box
Every poem hides words worth knowing. These are the ones that deserve their own page in a young reader’s journal.
Playfully naughty; up to harmless tricks. Notice the ladybug has a grin — not a smile. What’s the difference?
A raised platform for speaking, like a stage for giving speeches. The Mayor needs one so everyone can see him!
Having an appearance of importance or dignity. What makes the Mayor look distinguished? List three things from the poem.
Clapping so loud it sounds like thunder. How would the ladybugs clap? With all six legs?
A one-wheeled vehicle. A bicycle has two wheels, a tricycle has three — so what would a quadricycle have?
The closest star to our Sun — about 4.2 light years away. The poem actually got the name right! Scientists have even found a planet orbiting it.
Flashcard Study Set
Nine cards drawn from the poem — exploring vocabulary, characters, and the magic of Ladybugville. Click any card to flip it. Use the arrows to move through the deck, or shuffle for a fresh order.
After You Read — Talk About It
🐞 Ladybugville Conversations
- The girl says she sees a twinkle in the ladybug’s eye at the end. Do you think the dream was real? How do you know?
- Every ladybug in town has a different job or talent. Which one would you most want to visit? Why?
- The ladybug has a dimple on her chin. Why do you think the poet described that tiny detail?
- The girl says the Mayor speaks about “plans for the new year.” What do you think Ladybugville’s plans might be?
- What do you think the poem is really saying about bedtime and imagination?
Real Ladybugs — The Science
The poem is pure imagination — but real ladybugs are fascinating enough to deserve a closer look.
🐛 Did You Know?
- Ladybugs are beetles, not bugs. Their scientific family name is Coccinellidae.
- Those spots are a warning. Bright red + black spots signal to birds: I taste terrible. It works.
- They’re garden heroes. One ladybug can eat up to 5,000 aphids in its lifetime — keeping your garden healthy without any spray.
- Their wings fold up perfectly. Beneath the spotted red shell (called an elytra) are delicate flying wings, folded like origami.
- They hibernate in groups. In winter, thousands of ladybugs crowd together to stay warm — maybe even in someone’s house!
- Proxima Centauri is real. The ladybug astronaut isn’t wrong to dream — it’s the closest star to our Sun and scientists have found a planet orbiting it.
Look up Proxima Centauri together. How long would it take to travel there at the speed of light? (About 4.2 years!) Now imagine how far a tiny ladybug would need to fly…
Go outside and count how many ladybugs you can find on plants. Where did you find the most? On what kind of plant? Draw your findings in a nature journal.
Different species have different numbers of spots — 2, 7, 14 even 22! Draw five ladybugs each with a different number of spots and invent a name for each ladybug.
Create, Draw, Build, Dream
Using fabric paint, paint a ladybug on a plain pillowcase. Give her a name, a dimple, and a mischievous grin — just like in the poem.
On a large sheet of paper, map out the whole town from the poem. Include the bakery, the town square, the house with too many stairs. Then add your own buildings!
Write 4–6 lines about a new Ladybugville resident. What is their special talent? What do they look like? Where do they live?
Assign each person in your family (or classroom) a ladybug character from the poem. Improvise a day in Ladybugville. What does the Mayor announce?
Write a front page for the town newspaper. Include: the Mayor’s big announcement, a review of the bakery’s new tarts, and an interview with the ladybug who went to Mars.
Make up a short song for Ladybugville. Start with: “In Ladybugville, where the spotted wings play…” and let the child finish it however they wish.
✍️ Homeschool Writing Prompt
- Younger writers: Finish this sentence — “If I flew to Ladybugville, the first thing I would do is…”
- Middle writers: Write a short paragraph describing your own dream. What magical place do you visit when you close your eyes?
- Older writers: Write the scene from the ladybug’s point of view. What did she see during the dream journey? How does she feel about their adventure?
🍓 Ladybugville Strawberry Tarts
Inspired by the bakery in the poem — “scrumptiously tasty,” just as Lora promised.
What You’ll Need
- 1 sheet store-bought puff pastry, thawed
- 8–10 fresh strawberries
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp strawberry jam
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
How to Make Them
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cut puff pastry into small rectangles. Score a border around each one.
- Brush edges with beaten egg. Bake 12–14 minutes until golden.
- Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Let pastry cool, then press down the center gently.
- Spread cream cheese mixture in the center of each tart.
- Slice strawberries and arrange on top. Brush with warm jam to make them shine.
- Serve at your own Ladybugville tea party!
👨🍳 For the classroom: Use pre-baked pastry shells to skip the oven step. Children can assemble their own tarts with cream cheese and fruit.
Reading Guide by Age
| Age / Level | How to Use This Poem | Focus On |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 years Pre-reader | Read it aloud slowly. Stop at each character and ask: “What do you think she looks like?” Let them draw each one. | Listening, imagination, rhyme recognition |
| 5–7 years Early reader | Read together, taking turns. Ask the child to find all the rhyming words. How many can they spot? | Rhyme, basic comprehension, reading fluency |
| 7–9 years Developing reader | Let the child read it independently first, then discuss. Introduce vocabulary. Try the writing prompt. | New vocabulary, story structure, descriptive language |
| 9–11 years Confident reader | Discuss how the poem begins and ends the same way — in the cozy bed. Why does the poet do that? What does the “twinkle” mean? | Poetic structure, symbolism, creative writing extension |
| All ages Read-aloud | Best read by soft lamplight, before bed. The poem earns its setting. | Atmosphere, the joy of shared reading |
Ladybugville Challenges
Pick one, try a few, or work through all of them over a week.
- Count every character in the poem. How many distinct ladybugs are described? Make a character list with their name (invent one!) and their talent.
- Learn to spell Proxima Centauri — and then look it up on a star map or NASA’s website. How far away is it in miles?
- Draw the Mayor — stovepipe hat, tuxedo, standing on the rostrum. Give him an expression. What is he saying?
- Build a model of one Ladybugville house using cardboard, painted red and black. Add as many stairs as you dare.
- Write a sequel: The next night, where does the ladybug take the girl? Describe the new town in at least five sentences.
- Practice the unicycle fact: Ride a bike with hands briefly off the handlebars. How does it feel? Then imagine doing it with six legs on one wheel.
- Host a Ladybugville Tea Party. Make the tarts, give every guest a ladybug character from the poem, and have them introduce themselves in character.
A Note for Parents, Teachers & Homeschoolers
This poem does something quietly profound: it tells a child that the small, still image on their pillow is secretly alive with possibility. It locates magic in the ordinary and places it at bedtime, where imagination is most powerful and least defended.
Lora Hollings writes with the warmth of someone who understands that wonder is a skill worth protecting. The characters in Ladybugville aren’t just whimsical — they’re a community where everyone has a role: the artist, the mayor, the baker, the explorer, the performer. A gentle invitation for children to imagine where they might fit.
📌 Curriculum Connections
- ELA: Rhyme scheme, descriptive language, narrative structure (circular ending), character study, creative writing extension
- Science: Ladybug biology, insect anatomy, habitats; space — Proxima Centauri, stars and distance
- Social Studies: Community roles, town governance, civic participation (the Mayor’s speech)
- Art: Illustration, map-making, textile art (fabric paint pillowcase), model-building
- Home Economics / Life Skills: The strawberry tart recipe — measuring, mixing, assembling
- Drama: Character embodiment, improvisation, storytelling performance
Keep Reading — More from Lora Hollings
Meet the kindest ladybug in the collection. Her golden heart inspires everyone around her — even a spider. A perfect companion to this poem.
Cupcakes, rose hip tea, party favors, and a song. If Ladybugville has a bakery, it must have a birthday party too.
Quieter, more reflective — a poem for the moment just after lights out, when the ladybug might really be listening.