Common Sense Media Review
By Patricia Tauzer
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Monkey see, monkey do game for kids who love make-believe.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 2+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Written as a rhyming game, the little girl and her gangly stuffed monkey invite kids to make believe along with them. First they waddle like penguins and, then, with the monkey stuffed inside her shirt, they bound across the page like kangaroos. Likewise, they mimic bats, elephants, and finally...monkeys! In the end, they are both worn out with play and snoozing peacefully while one of the make-believe monkeys gazes playfully over the table top.
Is It Any Good?
With her usual muted red, brown, and gray tones and her cute, expressive characters, Emily Gravett has created another playful, quirky book for young readers to enjoy. Kids and their parents will find this one fun, and all too short. As the little actors get caught up in the "monkey see, monkey do" game, they will want the make believe to go on and on. And, more than likely, as the little girl dozes off at the table, they will take off on dramatic adventures of their own. Besides being a joy to read, this would be a perfect book for a beginning drama class.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about and chant the Monkey and Me rhyme together, and they can also try to guess what animal is coming up next as they look at what the little girl and her monkey are doing. They walk a certain way...kind of waddling...could it be penguins? Why does she stuff the monkey inside her t-shirt and jump across the page? And so on. Once finished, they may enjoy coming up with other animals that the little girl never thought of. How would they act? What would they do?
Book Details
- Author: Emily Gravett
- Illustrator: Emily Gravett
- Genre: Picture Book
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster
- Publication date: March 4, 2008
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 2 - 6
- Number of pages: 32
- Last updated: March 4, 2020
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