3 Reasons Why You Should Read There Were Ten in the Bed Illustrated by Carla Martell

3 Reasons Why You Should Read There Were Ten in the Bed Illustrated by Carla Martell

What’s the book about?

Bright, colourful counting fun in a new take on the favourite song.

There were ten in the bed and the little one said, “Roll over, roll over.” So they all rolled over and one fell out …

Sing along and count along with the irresistible and roll-icking nursery rhyme favourite!

Recommended for:

Ages 1+

Three reasons to read it:

  1. Martell’s lively and colorful artwork brings all the characters to life with personality and charm. Each page is packed with visual details that children will love exploring. They’ll also keep young readers engaged until the final page.
  2. There Were Ten in the Bed is perfect for reading aloud with your child, and the familiar lines of the rhyme make it easy to sing along. Children can join in with the “Roll over, roll over” parts, making storytime interactive. Singing along helps with language development, rhythm and memory, all while having a lot of fun.
  3. The combination of rhyme, counting, bright illustrations and playful antics makes this a story that kids will want to hear again and again. It’s ideal for bedtime. Parents and children alike will love the humor, energy and warmth of the story, making it a true bedtime favourite.

Buy a copy of There Were Ten in the Bed here.

About the author:

Carla Martell lives in Auckland, New Zealand. She trained in graphic design, animation and illustration at Wellington Polytechnic (now Massey) then flew away to spread her wings in Australia and the UK in a series of animation and design studios. Several years ago Carla completed a post-graduate diploma in multimedia studies, with a focus on moving image and mixed media production. Now returning to her lifelong love of illustration, she is currently collaborating with a children’s book writer on a new work and continuing to develop her illustration portfolio.

Reviews

Bright, Colourful Counting Fun: Read an Extract from There Were Ten in the Bed by Carla Martell

Review | Extract

8 December 2025

Bright, Colourful Counting Fun: Read an Extract from There Were Ten in the Bed by Carla Martell

Publisher details

There Were Ten in the Bed
Author
Carla Martell
Publisher
Walker Books
Genres
Children’s Fiction, Children’s Picture Book
Released
01 December, 2025
ISBN
9781760659929

Synopsis

Bright, colourful counting fun in a new take on the favourite song

There were ten in the bed and the little one said, "Roll over, roll over." So they all rolled over and one fell out ...

Sing along and count along with the irresistible and roll-icking nursery rhyme favourite!

This classic nursery song remains a bedtime favourite around the world, and Carla's playful illustrations will inspire a new generation to fall in love with it all over again.

Carla Martell
About the author

Carla Martell

Carla Martell is an award-winning illustrator who lives in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Trained as a graphic designer, animator and illustrator, she has worked for many years in theatre, animation and multimedia production in New Zealand, Australia and the UK. In 2020 she illustrated her first children’s book and has now illustrated over fifteen picture books, published both nationally and internationally. There Were Ten in the Bed is Carla’s first picture book with Walker Books Australia.

Books by Carla Martell

COMMENTS

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *