Julie had five brothers and two sisters. She loved them very much, but there was a problem;  they all slept in the same bed. Every night after Julie combed her long brown hair and brushed her teeth she climbed into bed, scooting into the middle. No sooner had she pulled the covers over her when her seven brothers and sisters jumped on the bed and climbed under the blankets. Toes poked her. Elbows jabbed her. Julie didn't like being squished. They fought over the pillow, the sheets and the blankets.

One night Julie decided that she'd had enough and that she didn't want to sleep in the same bed with her brothers and sisters. When Mama called to them to go to bed, Julie combed her hair and brushed her teeth and went to the linen closet. She pulled out an extra pillow and blanket and made a bed on the floor for herself, next to the big bed.

When her brothers and sisters went to bed, they saw Julie on the floor. They were glad she wasn't in the bed with them. They had more room!

All night long Julie tossed and turned and didn't sleep well at all. When she woke up she ached from lying on the hard wooden floor.

The next night Julie combed her hair and brushed her teeth and climbed into the big bed. Her brothers and sisters moaned and groaned when they saw her lying in the middle. Once again they were squished together, but Julie didn't mind. At least the bed was soft!