Review by Booklist Review
Hilda's three pet monkeys create havoc every time she leaves them alone. Although she spends a great deal of time cleaning up after the naughty pets, she feels even more sad when she thinks Tim, Sam, and Lulu have disappeared. Parents seeking good behavior models for their children will have to look elsewhere, but children, who let's face it are the real audience here, will find the monkeys quite entertaining. Each time Hilda goes out, she tells the monkeys to be good. They try, but they are easily bored and go in search of playthings. Whether it is umbrellas, boots, and hats; knitting, newspapers, and flowers; soap, soup, and cleaning brushes; or toilet paper, toothpaste, and shampoo, no room's contents are safe from the adventurous monkeys. Clark's colorful mixed-media and collage artwork gives the images a fanciful three-dimensional quality. In the tradition of Curious George and the Cat in the Hat, children will laugh at the animals' antics, secure in the knowledge that Hilda loves them no matter what.--Whitehurst, Lucinda Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Hilda Snibbs, a heroine who is a hybrid of Auntie Mame and Margaret Dumont, lives in a palatial Parisian apartment with three monkeys named Tim, Sam, and Lulu (they're identical except for Lulu's hair bow). Hilda dotes on them, but every time she leaves the house, they pick a room and lay waste to it. And each time she returns, their response is the same: "Tim and Sam and Lulu looked at her with their big, round eyes and said nothing." After Hilda discovers the monkeys in the bathroom-two are covered in soapsuds, and the third has mummified itself in toilet paper-she despairs, "Oh, for a peaceful life without these wicked little monkeys!" Can these naughty monkeys change their ways? Seinfeld's "No hugging, no learning" credo feels apropos to Blake's wrap-up, though he employs it with an unmistakable undercurrent of parental affection. Clark (Plenty of Love to Go Around) makes the most of the book's oversize format in her bright, mixed-media scenes, letting the lanky, unblinking monkeys' destruction sprawl from margin to margin. Ages 4-8. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Many people have dogs and cats as pets, but Hilda Snibbs has three naughty little monkeys that she loves very much. They live a splendid life in Paris, where the woman feeds them dainty slices of carrots, apple, and banana. When Hilda has to go out to run errands, the monkeys become bored and get into trouble. They make a terrible mess of the house and destroy many of Hilda's belongings. The indulgent Hilda is just about at her wit's end when one day, she returns home and finds that everything is in perfect order. Alarmed, she begins to search for them everywhere. Upon finding them in the linen closet, Hilda realizes that even with the mess, her life is better with her three mischievous monkeys. She is now able to relax and settles into bed only to discover a naughty surprise. Children will react to seeing what mischief the naughty monkeys are creating on each page. The text is rich and not oversimplified for the young audience. Bold, bright, contrasting colors and interesting and diverse patterns bring this picture book to life. The elaborate illustrations brilliantly display the chaos and excitement of the text. VERDICT A fun and fresh naughty little monkey story in a gorgeous setting. Perfect for one-on-one and small group sharing.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Hilda loves her three pet monkeys, but every time she leaves the house they make a big mess. When she wishes for a more peaceful life, the monkeys hide--leading Hilda to realize that she'd rather have chaos than quiet. A sweet if familiar tale, imaginatively told, with illustrations incorporating textile-like patterns and homey details. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Hilda Snibbs cares for Tim, Sam, and Lulu, three lively monkeys. One morning the well-turned-out white woman leaves her elegant home to buy bananas. The simian siblings grow bored, so they look in the hall closet for something to play with, and they find umbrellas, shoes and boots, and fancy hats. "When Hilda came home she found the most dreadful mess." She tells them how disappointed she is; they just stare with their big, round eyes. When she goes to buy a hat the next day, the living room is the scene of the next mess. There is a shopping trip for wool the following day, and the kitchen falls prey. The next day, it's the bathroom. Hilda warns them sternly before she leaves to visit her sick mother. She returns to a clean house. Oh no! Where can the monkeys be? Weeping, Hilda goes to the closet for a dry hankyand finds her charges. That night she finds her bed full of silverware and tinned sardines. "But that is the sort of thing you have to expect if you have three little monkeys." British illustrator Blake here supplies the words for Chichester Clark, his former student at the Royal College of Art. The duo's first outing together is a charming story of patient devotion. Chichester Clark's bright and lively mixed-media illustrations are full of patterns, detail, and adorable, mischievous monkeys. Children may not recognize themselves herein, but their caregivers will see their little monkeys. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
