Monkey See, Look at Me!

May 14, 2012
A childlike, suspenders-wearing monkey likes attention, and he likes to get it by pretending that he is different animals: he “flies” like a bird, jumps up and down like a rabbit, makes loud noises like a lion, and splashes in a puddle like an elephant. His friends, who actually are the animals he pretends to be, take turns showing the monkey what it really means to fly, hop, roar, or “make the biggest splash of all.” That’s okay, because when they pretend to be monkeys on the playground, he can trot out his own natural gifts for swinging and hanging upside down (“I’m the silly monkey, can’t you see?”). Siminovich’s story is the soul of simplicity, with naïf digital collages set against sunny, softly textured backgrounds (the aesthetic is in line with that of her finger-puppet board books, though she imbues these animals with more personality). Similarly, her message is proffered lightly: one-upmanship can be good-natured fun, so long as everybody gets a chance to be the one who’s up. Ages 3–5. Agent: Adriana Dominguez, Full Circle Literary.

June 1, 2012
This playful, gentle romp for the toddler set depicts a monkey encountering various animals and getting the last laugh. "Look at me! / I can fly away fast. I'm a bird!" read the first two spreads, and softly colored digital-collage illustrations show the imaginative monkey running down a hillside with his arms outspread. The next page-turn, however, shows a little red bird alighting on his head and saying, "No, silly monkey. I'm a bird. I can flap my wings." This establishes the pattern for the rest of the book, as the monkey encounters a rabbit, a lion and an elephant who all assert themselves over his playful efforts to jump and hop, roar and splash, respectively. The animals all end up together for the denouement as they swing and climb on playground equipment, declaring, "Look at us...We're monkeys." Then, the true monkey responds, "No, friends, you're not monkeys. / Look at me! I'm the silly monkey, can't you see?" The closing illustration shows the monkey gazing out at readers, casting them as the "you" of this final line. Never mean-spirited, the animals' exchanges leading up to this final point of engagement invite young children to anticipate the text's pattern while enjoying the friendly illustrations. A sweet new title about friends and imaginative play. (Picture book. 1-3)

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August 1, 2012

PreS-Cheeky Monkey, with his checkered trousers, yellow suspenders, and heart-shaped nose, makes a lively narrator as he appropriates the skills other animals are best known for: "I can jump up and down. I'm a rabbit." Each animal in question appears and sets the monkey straight before demonstrating its skill, "No, silly monkey, I'm a rabbit. I can jump and bounce real high." Finally, all of the animals start pretending to be monkeys, and it's finally Monkey's turn to shine. This is a common story line in children's books, and this version doesn't offer anything new; however, the expressive characters are cuddly and appealing and the bright illustrations are full of geometric shapes, pattern, and texture. Sure to circulate often, this cheerful, though slight, story will be enjoyed by toddlers and could work well for storytimes. A solid purchase for larger collections.-Anna Haase Krueger, Antigo Public Library, WI

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