Big Little Monkey

PreS-Gr 2-Little Monkey's family is asleep, so the "big little monkey" sets off to explore on his own. He tries to play with the creatures he meets, imitating something they do, but Steady Sloth is too quiet, Proud Parrot too squawky, and Sly Boa too tricky, so he heads back home. He decides that sometimes he is still his "Dear Mama['s]...Little Monkey." Schaefer's text has the style and cadences of a folktale with the effective refrain "bim-ba-lah, bim-ba-lah" appearing as the protagonist swings through the trees. Although at times she injects words such as "hey" into the text, at its best, the language shines as Little Monkey tells the boa: "...I am playing Curl My Tail Around in Tricky Ways. Like you." Pratt's stylized animals, done in sweeping, brightly colored acrylics, are reminiscent of Manya Stojic's work, and the mostly full-bleed illustrations with their color-saturated backgrounds are eye-catching and will carry well in storytimes. Little Monkey is a typical toddler, testing his limits and exploring his surroundings, but ultimately wanting the safety and reassurance of his mother's arms. With a simple text, well-placed page turns, and an accessible story line, Schaefer and Pratt's collaboration is a terrific addition to most collections.-Amy Lilien-Harper, The Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Life may be grander on the other side of big Mango Tree, Little Monkey surmises, as he leaves his sleeping mama and siblings in search of new friends. With a "bim-ba-lah, bim-ba-lah," he swings through the trees, meeting first Steady Sloth and then Proud Parrot. While Little Monkey insists he's large enough to befriend these jungle animals, he soon realizes that their styles collide with his own fledgling plans for independence. Swinging along his journey, he then meets Sly Boa, who has plans of his own for this energetic monkey. Jungle greens dominate the story's lush surroundings in Pratt's acrylic illustrations, while bursts of red and blue occasionally serve to contrast against the darker backdrop. The text unfolds in a storyteller's voice, punctuated by onomatopoeic refrains that listeners will learn quickly. Not surprisingly, Schaefer's lively pace returns Monkey to the Mango Tree to enjoy the sweeter side of life in this gently predictable tale. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.