Five Little Monkeys Reading in Bed

July 1, 2011

Christelow's mischief-making monkey siblings return to the bed for their eighth Mama-frustrating adventure.

"When the five little monkeys are ready for bed, / their Mama reads stories, then kisses each head. / 'It's bedtime for Monkeys! Now turn out the light.' 'Oh, Mama! Oh, PLEASE! One more story tonight!' " But Mama is tired. She wishes them goodnight, but the light doesn't go out. Those five little monkeys decide to read to themselves. When their sad story of a lost pup ends happily, they whoop and holler until Mama breaks in. "Mama raises an eyebrow. 'What was it I said? / Lights out! Sweet dreams! / No more reading in bed!' " Have those five little monkeys ever minded? A scary book makes them scream. Mama returns. A funny book makes them laugh. Mama returns. When they're finally drifting off, strange noises come from down the hall. It's tired Mama reading in her bed, and it's their turn to admonish her. Christelow's silly simians are just as bouncy as they ever were. If their histrionics are a bit over the top from a parental point of view, the target audience won't care and might just join in. The author's watercolor illustrations are solid as ever.

Reading promotion at its best, with a little bit of bad behavior to spice things up. (Picture book. 3-7)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 1-Mama is too tired to read to her five little monkeys, so they decide to spread out their books on their bed and read to themselves. They cry when the books are sad, and cheer at the appropriate moments. In spite of their mother's admonition to turn out the light, they read a ghost story and frighten themselves, and Mama storms in. And so it continues until they finally to go sleep. Children will be amused by Christelow's colorful pen-and-ink cartoons of expressive and active monkeys and her jaunty rhyming couplets. It will also be fun to explore the titles of the books scattered about the monkeys' extra-wide bed in order to anticipate the siblings' reactions for each story. Since the publication of Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed (Clarion, 1989), youngsters have enjoyed seven titles in this popular series. They will continue to be delighted, as this time the monkeys turn the tables on their mother at the conclusion of the tale.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2011
Preschool-G A standout in the long-running Five Little Monkeys series, this rhyming story opens at night, with the pajama-clad monkeys pleading for one more story and Mama refusing. When the monkeys begin secretly reading on their own, Mama comes back to admonish them, but each time she leaves, they get so excited about another book that they just can't keep quiet. Letting chaos reign just long enough, Christelow creates a perfect ending to this happy bedtime story. The interactive text is fun for reading aloud, and the digital line-and-wash illustrations perfectly capture the little monkeys' zany glee.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2012
Despite Mama's instructions, the monkeys help themselves to more books after lights-out. Each story elicits a cacophony of hoots, howls, sobs, or cheers, bringing Mama running to spout her refrain: "Lights out! Sweet dreams! No more reading in bed!" The troublemaking monkeys' antics highlight the pleasures of reading. An entertaining twist at the end--and the rambunctious illustrations--will delight fans.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)