Mr. Monkey Takes a Hike

February 15, 2019
Mr. Monkey is back, and he's in it to win it with his latest hobby: gaming. No matter how hard he tries, Mr. Monkey just can't beat his video game. Before his third try even has a chance to be the charm, a bird makes off with the controller. Mr. Monkey chases the bird through the city and into the park, begrudgingly taking an outdoor break from screen time. The view, the trees, and the flowers elicit "Ooh!" after "Ooh!" as Mr. Monkey begins to enjoy the respite. But as soon as he spots the bandit bird in the tree, the real-life game is back on. Mr. Monkey "runs...ducks...climbs...swings...jumps [and] falls"--just like in the video game. The moment the controller ends up back in his hands, though, a new obstacle arises. Mr. Monkey loses again. And again. Will he ever catch a break? Mack's digitally rendered cartoon illustrations outshine those in previous volumes, depicting gorgeously colored nature scenes and a fun, pixelated video-game world. Characters' speech solely consists of interjections, adding to the slapstick humor. Mack's mastery of repetition expertly recycles sentences (and a vocabulary of around 70 words), adding new meaning through illustration and context. Unfortunately, the recycled silly-monkey stereotype needs to take a hike of its own. Mr. Monkey gives Curious George a run for his money. But at what cost? (Early reader. 4-8)

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April 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-Mr. Monkey is determined to win his video game. "He runs. He ducks. He climbs. He swings. He jumps. He falls," and-"GRR!"-he loses. Just when he thinks things can't get worse, a little bird swoops in and takes his controller, leading the monkey on a merry chase in which he runs, ducks, climbs, swings, jumps, falls, and is again thwarted and then rescued by his foe. He's soon too tired to play his game even when he gets the controller back, and by that time young readers and storytime attendees will be spent too, as this delightful romp will be sure to have them yelling along with the "he runs, he ducks" refrain while joining in Mr. Monkey's indignation at having his game interrupted. The bright cartoon illustrations of Mr. Monkey's travels form a fun backdrop to the zaniness. VERDICT Fans of Mr. Monkey Bakes a Cake and Mr. Monkey Visits a School will snap this up; try it with others who like a rollicking adventure.-Henrietta Verma, Credo Reference, Jackson Heights, NY

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