A bike is for just one monkey to ride, right? Well, not if anothermonkey jumps on the handlebars. "Hooray, the two shouted. / We're having suchfun. / This bike is far better for two / than for one!"That is, until theyhit a bump in the road and monkeys go flying. One Monkey Too Many playfully explores the hazards of loading too many monkeys into a golf cart, canoe, or hotel bed, and finally, into the picture book itself: "Six, said the author. / "This book is for six. / The pages are full, / so nomore of your tricks." Even that doesn't stop extra pesky monkeys from sneaking into the picture. Lynn Munsinger's thoroughly charming, expressive illustrations add energy and humor to Jackie French Koller's already vivacious rhymes. Children will love the fact that the monkeys gleefully ignore the warnings of the well-meaning adults, as well as the page-splattering chaos that ensues when one monkey too many is along for the ride. Kids will also enjoy locating the extra monkeys in this buoyant read-aloud romp, making it an excellent counting book. (Ages 3 to 6) --Karin Snelson ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Fun counting book
This is a fun counting book about monkeys who break the rules about how many people can do certain things at a time. Whenever one monkey too many joins the group, it starts off fun, but inevitably ends in disaster. The book is not exactly scary, but a lot of objects get broken, so it might be an uncomfortable read for kids with anxieties about breaking things. The story is quite humorous, and it has about 500 words.

Educators Recommend
This is one funny book! The story begins with a bear bikeseller telling the monkey, "This bike is for one. / One monkey can ride it, / and one can have fun." True to its title, it doesn't take long for "one monkey too many" to jump on the bike-with predictably disastrous results. "It started to wobble. / It started to pitch. One monkey too many crashed into the ditch!"

Left with a busted bike, the two monkeys are given a cart by a golfing tiger. "Two," said the golfer. / "This cart is for two. / If you're looking for fun, / this is perfect for you." Would have been perfect, that is, if "one monkey too many" hadn't hopped right on.

The story continues in this vein with the monkeys trying out a canoe, an elegant restaurant, and, finally, a large bed.

At story's end, the book's author tells the monkeys, "This book is for six. The pages are full, / so no more of your tricks." Of course, as soon as the author goes out to lunch . . . you guessed it . . . one monkey too many gets into the book-literally-making a huge, hilarious mess all over the last page.

Lynn Munsinger was the perfect choice for illustrating this clever creation. Her pen and ink and watercolor cartoons capture perfectly the rambunctious action and gleeful expressions of the monkeys, as well as the horrified-yet comical-faces of the onlookers.

The book is a delight to read aloud. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by the Education Oasis Staff.

Hilarious and uproarious
This is a wonderful book. The text has a lilting, easy-to-read flow to it, and the phrases are often hilarious, but the illustrations are what really make it a classic! My children love seeing what the naughty little monkeys will get themselves into next. The "twist" at the end of the book is the best part - we all laughed ourselves silly. What a fun, fun book for children and grownups alike! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   3. Children: Preschool   4. Fiction   5. Humorous Stories   6. Juvenile Fiction   7. Monkeys   8. Short Stories   9. Stories in rhyme   10. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories   

Customer Reviews (4)

Wonderful
This book came to the school that I teach in a sample set from a publisher. It has stayed with me for years. The illustrations are wonderful and the story is better yet. The story is about a young girl who goes to the zoo with her gorilla friend (her father is too busy to take her. Her father finds time for her in the end and her gorilla turns back into a stuffed toy. Many children can relate to what this little girl goes through. The book has so much more to offer than what I can tell you. It is truely beautiful. I will put it next to my Narnia set...I am finally buying a copy for myself. Don't miss out on this gem.

Sad (for adults) heart warming story. Beautiful drawings.
My son (5) and I love this story and so does any kid I read this story to. We love it mostly because of the beautiful drawings (some sad, some funny) which are sensitive and full of little details that enrich the tale. Check out the incredible caged sad monkey (no need of words) or the funny "Super Gorilla" picture. We also like the text that is simple and straightforward on one hand but relies heavily on the pictures for further layers of understanding. Adults can argue about the subject of this story - I personally think it is about human relations (what's important) - but heard other say it is about fear (?) but all this is unimportant - kids and adults alike are drawn to the amazing drawings and can sense the richness of this book. Gorillas are sure to become your favorite animals.

Anthony Browne has a special magic
I am a fan of Anthony Browne's illustrations and I am sad that so many of his books are out of print. But Gorilla is a great one to own. The picures repay study, as they are full of wonderful details. The story itself is poignant, with a hopeful ending. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   3. Children: Kindergarten   4. Family - Multigenerational   5. Father-daughter relationship   6. Fathers and daughters   7. Fiction   8. General   9. Gorilla   10. Gorillas   11. Juvenile Fiction   

That wily Wallace! Where has he gone this time? The funny littleorange-furred orangutan is always surrounded by friends at the zoo. But timeafter time Wallace's wanderlust drives him to escape from his comfortableday-to-day existence with his friend the zookeeper--to a department store, tothe circus, to a baseball game, to the beach. The zookeeper is not as disturbedas you might imagine by Wallace's repeated breakouts. In fact, one mightalmost think he plants the ideas in Wallace's head himself... After all,every time Wallace disappears, it's up to the zookeeper to find him, even ifthat means spending an hour or two at an amusement park or the nature museum.

For over 35 years, readers of all ages have gleefully searched these pages forthe mischievous ape. Hilary Knight, well-loved illustrator of the Eloise series,among many other picture books, created a classic with Where's Wallace?.Each of nine intricately detailed panoramic pictures is packed with lively,humorous activity, making the search for Wallace a delightful challenge. Forthose who pride themselves on having found the orange fellow on every spread,the book ups the ante. See if you can find the six additional charactersaccompanying Wallace on every adventure, including a cello player, a jogger, andan old woman who manages to keep knitting in the most unusual places! (Ages 4 to7) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Better than "Where's Waldo", a shame it's out of print.
As the predecesor to "Where's Waldo", this book is fun, lively and just plain great to look at. The story of a little orangutan who wonders about life outside the zoo is a visual treat. Wallace loves his life in the zoo but takes every opportunity to visit places like the beach, a ballgame, a department store and other exciting places. In each picture, Wallace must be found; for those truly observant readers, a host of other characters appear in each picture as well. Would love to find this book for my children as I loved it as a child. A shame it's out of print, one can always hope.

What's better than pen and ink Hilary Knight? Full color
Being the big Hilary Knight fan, I was happy to see that this book has been reprinted for those of us who were not around the first time it came out. Yay! The artwork in this book is classic Knight, and the story is fun and engaging (and predates Where's Waldo by almost three decades.) I am thrileld to see Knight finally getting his due, and I sure wouldn't mind seeing a sequel to this book either.. hint hint. Wallace is actually more innocent and likable than Eloise, so not even the reader is too frustrated that he keeps escaping. After all, with the world that Knight has created, how could we not want to get out and explore as well?

The pictures alone are fun to look at. Kids will enjoy spending time looking at the pictures (well, I did too...)

I am thrilled to share this with my children
This was a favorite of mine as a child. I am so pleased to be able to get them their own copies.(mine is a bit tattered) They love finding Wallace and all of his friends over and over again. This book just stands up to the test of time. We read it every night. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Alligators & Crocodiles   2. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   3. Animals - Zoos   4. Children's 4-8   5. Children: Kindergarten   6. Fiction   7. Juvenile Fiction   8. Monkeys   9. Juvenile Nonfiction / Animals / General   

Subjects:  1. Alphabet   2. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   3. Children's 4-8 - Fiction - General   4. Children: Kindergarten   5. Family - Siblings   6. Fiction   7. General   8. Hugging   9. Juvenile Fiction   10. Sisters   11. Stories in rhyme   12. Juvenile Fiction / General   

Customer Reviews (2)

I didn't know that boredom could be so hilarious
This book threw me into a laughing fit when I read it to Max in the children's books section of one of the large bookshops in Singapore (the perfect refuge on week-ends during the rainy winter season). Max is two and a half years old, and he is very tolerant of his dad's monkeying around. To judge by the looks I got when I guffawed, it seems that most parents regard reading children's books as a serious matter.

Anyway, kids have a great sense of humor, and they will enjoy it when you chuckle while reading this book to them. The little monkeys of the title are five clumsy but well-intentioned, lovable creatures that mess up the house while trying to please their mom. That is probably what happens to many two or three-year-olds who hope to do the right thing and end up spilling the milk when they try to assist mom. Enthusiasm combined with clumsiness can produce some rather chaotic results. "Five Little Monkeys with Nothing to Do" teaches parents and kids to see the funny side in such mishaps.

Recommended for parents and children alike.

Contentment
I love reading this book to my 2 year old daughter. She runs around chanting about the 5 monkeys. I first learned of them from my daycare provider, and came to amazon.com to find them. Thank you ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   3. Children: Preschool   4. Family - Multigenerational   5. Fiction   6. House cleaning   7. Humorous Stories   8. Juvenile Fiction   9. Monkeys   10. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Apes & Monkeys   

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent photographic account of snow monkeys.
As a photographic journal of the Japanese snow monkeys, this book is first rate. The photographs are stunning and cover every aspect of the snow monkey's fascinating communal life. If you are looking for a more scholarly work with scientific details, then this book won't fit that bill. However, having been to the monkey reserve in Nagano, Japan, I can say that the photographs capture the monkeys' daily life in a vivid, unforgettable way. There is a brief narrative text that helps bind the themes of the photographs together, but the photographs truly speak for themselves. The authors should be commended for their liberal use of these beautiful color photographs.

These monkey will touch your heart & make you laugh
This book tells the story of a year in the life of a troop of Japanese snow monkeys, as they cope with the seasons and raise their families. The often humorous and sometimes touching images will steal your heart away.

The adorable monkeys dance in the snow & bask in the sun. They climb & swing from trees. They chew leaves & joyfully play with snowballs. They splash in the water & meticulously groom each other.

The young cuddle in their mother's arms & suckle at a their breast. Their almost human-like expressions and actions are captivating. You feel like you are in personal contact with the monkeys as you flip the color photo packed pages.

As a bonus, pictures of a wide array of Japanese monkeys as well as information on their distribution, diet, & social life are located in the back This book is a great way to get a close-up look at the snow monkeys & experience their lives. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Apes & Monkeys   2. Japanese macaque   3. Nature   4. Nature & Wildlife   5. Nature / Field Guide Books   6. Nature/Ecology   7. Pictorial works   

Customer Reviews (13)

More Like Three Men on a Pub Crawl
This is a well-written but silly book. It could have been fun, but ultimately it takes itself way too seriously. Nick Redfern and his two mates go looking for monsters in Britain. Unfortunately, much of the book deals with them doing other things -- visiting weirdos who claim monster encounters, drinking too much in pubs, sight-seeing, etc.

Had he kept it light-hearted, the book might have been just a fun and breezy read. Instead, Redfern insists on veering into his daft "theory" that these monsters are paranormal. They somehow live on negative human emotions, such as fear, and they appear simply to create these emotions and get a jolt when they need one. I put theory in quotation marks because, from a scientific standpoint, a theory can be tested. Redfern's idea is just wild sepculation that cannot be subject to testing, and in the end, that's why the book fails. There's always an out with these monster guys because they set up the ever-popular non-falsifiable hypothesis. Why can't we catch these monsters? Because they don't exist in the real world. Why do people see them, and then they disappear? Because they are mere "thought forms." Why are the pictures always blurry? The monsters have the ability to screw up cameras through mind control. Anyone can play this game. I can tell you my best friend is an invisible rabbit and challenge you to prove he doesn't exist. I can always devise another wild scenario for every objection you raise.

Redfern is also quite guillible, if this book is meant to be taken seriously. He ridicules a guy who claims to have seen an apeman while parked with his girlfriend, because the guy seems like a loser. But a woman who claims to have seen fairies when she was little is taken seriously. Fairies? Come on, now.

As I said, this could have been a fun book. Redfern writes well. I have to admit, I laughed out loud when Redfern recounted how his friend gave a witch the finger. That alone is worth two stars. But in the end, it's all just too ridiculous to take seriously. Next time, let's have less talk about eating fried bread and more discussion about the obvious: The monsters aren't real, but they play an important socio/psychologial role in the human psyche. There's a story there.

Fear and Loathing in Loch Ness
Armed with alcohol and attitude, three intrepid monster-hunters in a borrowed camper go in search of various things that go bump and grrr in the night. Along the way, these gonzo ghoulbusters do much drinking, meet some ver-r-ry interesting characters and conjure up some bad mojo craziness. Their Three Stooges antics aside, this book does offer much food for thought for those with an interest in all things otherworldly. It seems the British are best at exploring these murky waters, and Redfern deserves to be placed among the best of them, whose ranks include Colin Wilson, Hilary Evans, and Jenny Randles.

An entertaining read!
I enjoyed this book. It was different. I have a whole library of books on Fortean topics, and no, this book probably isn't one destined for classic-dom. But it doesn't pretend to be. I got a kick out of the fact that three open-minded men traveled around England in search of monsters and then one of them wrote a book about it. Why can't I meet a man like that? All the men I meet are only into sports or worse, Republicans, and dull, dull, DULL! But I digress..... these guys had some intriguing and some fairly scary experiences, and my only problem with the book was that their trip wasn't long enough! Thanks, guys! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit   2. Curiosities and wonders   3. General   4. Great Britain   5. Miscellanea   6. Monsters   7. New Age   8. New Age / Parapsychology   9. Occultism   10. Redfern, Nicholas   11. Supernatural   12. Unexplained Phenomena   13. Body, Mind & Spirit / General   

Customer Reviews (1)

Curious George and the Puppy
Excellent starter for young readers. My boys love him. This is very nice because I grew up with George too. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure   2. Animals   3. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   4. Children's 4-8   5. Children: Grades 1-2   6. Fiction   7. Juvenile Fiction   8. Monkeys   9. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Apes & Monkeys   

Customer Reviews (13)

Difficult to digest but a must-read nonetheless
With its appealing cover-picture of two baby chimps and its appalling title, "Eating Apes" is a must read for everybody interested in conservation in general and the survival of the great apes in particular. Although I've been already aware of the bushmeat crisis through voluntary work at a zoo, this book hit me hard. The scope of denial by many - individuals and conservation groups alike - paired with risky relationships between NGOs and logging companies is driving our closest living relatives - the great apes - to extinction. Dale Peterson's book encompasses every aspect of this difficult and very complex issue and Karl Ammann's pictures and comments provide further evidence of what really is happening. Everbody who makes or is going to make decisions regarding the bushmeat trade, logging, development and conservation in central Africa has to read this book before making those important and far-reaching decisions. My next task will be to check with the various conservation groups I support, to find out what they are planning to do about this subject. Depending on their answers, I may well choose to cancel some memberships. Something I haven't actually thought about before reading this book - so I hope that many others will follow suit and choose action over complacency!

Conservation's biggest failure exposed
Dale Peterson and Karl Ammann lay out the history of the commercial hunting of apes (and other species) that is driving chimps, gorillas, and bonobos rapidly towards extinction, and the direct link with the logging taking place within Central African forests. It's not surprising that logging companies don't give a hoot if our closest relatives are hunted to extinction, but what is shocking is Peterson's and Ammann's exposure of the inaction and lack of concern shown by major conservation groups, and the even more troubling partnerships between loggers and conservation groups that have enabled loggers to continue destroying the forests and the wildlife that live there. Anyone who cares about wildlife, great apes or otherwise, and donates to major conservation organizations must read this book before writing another check. Ammann, the photographer who has campaigned for nearly a decade to bring the bushmeat crisis to the world's attention, writes a compelling afterword, and provides disturbing photographs of murdered apes. My only complaints are that there were not more of Ammann's photographs included in the book, and that the indictments of major conservation groups were perhaps not scathing enough.

A family affair
Sometime far in our past, humans took up rocks and sticks to hunt food instead of scavenging from other predators. With our meat available today in shrink-wrapped containers it's easy to lose sight of that long-standing tradition. Others in the world still obtain meat in the traditional environment. The difference is that instead of spears, the weapons are high-powered shotguns. Instead of skulking through the forest seeking prey, hunters are now given rides by timber carriers using deep-penetrating access roads. In this book, Dale Peterson reveals the transformations forest hunting has undergone in West African nations. It's not a
pleasing picture, but it's valid and it's important. And it must change.

The bushmeat trade has many implications, but Peterson has chosen three significant ones. One, of course, is that by killing chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas for food, we're consuming our nearest relations. The primate line divided only 12 million years ago, with the descendants of one line becoming today's mountain gorillas. The other line led to chimpanzees and bonobos with a spur turning off about 7 million years ago leading to you and me. The proximity of chimpanzee and human DNA patterns is no longer news, but the reminder needs to be flashed occasionally.

Another implication is health. With so much attention given to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, it's worth reflecting on its origins. More importantly, as Peterson reminds us, is to consider how it works. HIV/AIDS appears to be a recent evolutionary virus quirk. It adapts and evolves with amazing speed. The roots of it remain in the African forest and a new strain can emerge at any time. The best means of transmission from ape or monkey to human is through blood - that stuff the hunter is soaked in as he butchers his forest kill.

The third theme is the question of human relations with the rest of our environment. Human population growth is presented in a novel framework. How many humans come into existence every day is contrasted with the great ape population. Peterson calculates that the entire gorilla population is equalled by new humans every twelve hours. Population pressures in the "developed" world lead to demands for African timber products. In turn, the timber firms are cutting great swaths of forest using displaced populations for labour. To feed these workers, hunters are hired or loggers hunt and apes, due to their availability and size, become a major food source. In a feedback cycle of habitat reduction and hunting, the apes are simply being exterminated. Recovery would require sharply reduced logging. Peterson notes that trees are being taken that began growth in Michaelangelo's time, but their replacements will be cut in only forty years.

Peterson is effusive in his description of the significant role played by Swiss photographer Karl Ammann. Ammann's chance encounter with a logging truck driver revealed the role international logging firms play in the ape slaughter and the extended bushmeat trade. The logging firms, particularly CIB, contend they are providing "employment for locals, health services, food and education". Peterson explains the falsity of this contention, with "health services limited to a nurse and schools and teachers paid for by the workers' families.

Peterson argues that the long-established bushmeat tradition is already lost, displaced by commercial logging practices and new, mass hunting methods using guns, sometimes lent by government officials. If we can change a culture, such as was done with slavery, hunting traditions no longer tenable can be modified, as well. He cites the willingness of Americans to spend minimal annual funds to protect wolves, bears and other fauna. Why not establish a fund for ape protection. He calculates that US$1 billion per year could be raised with an individual contribution of but US$50. Not an enormous sum, given that other donations and military expenditures far exceed it. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada] ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa, Central   2. Ape meat industry   3. Apes   4. Apes & Monkeys   5. Business & Economics   6. Business/Economics   7. Environmental Conservation & Protection - Endangered Species   8. Environmental Studies   9. International - General   10. Wildlife conservation   

On a dark and stormy night in 1609, young Emmaline Perth's wish forsomething "significant" to be blown her way comes true. Soon, the great coastalcity of MacOongafoondsen (population 21) discovers an unexpected visitor by wayof a beached ship. No one knows quite what to make of the ship, nor of its soleinhabitant. "So that's what a Frenchman looks like!" says Bob the Milkmaid.Shmink the Bailiff has already illogically determined that the ship must hailfrom France. With breathtaking stupidity, the town leaders promptly decide thatthis "Frenchman"--really a chimpanzee--is a thief and a spy, and take him intocustody: "You will be held until your trial in my dank and rat-filled cellar,"Shmink announces. "You will be treated humanely, given a fair trial, foundguilty, and shot until you are dead." (When Luigi the Carpenter's Husbandreminds him that there are no guns in MacOongafoondsen, Shmink amends thepunishment to hanging.) Fortunately, wise Emmaline and her friend Young Flurpthe Town Fool will have none of this. Justice will be served, but not untilthey've experienced some high adventure beneath the city in an undergroundriver, upstairs in Shmink's filthy house, in a haunted castle, and by thegallows in a last-ditch effort to save Monsieur Eek, the chimp.

In his first foray into children's fiction, well-known playwright David Ivesmarries the absurd with a very real message about justice and equality. Thetruly remarkable citizens of MacOongafoondsen are what make this story"spec-tac-ular" (as Emmaline's dear departed father used to say). There'sOngka the Fat Bread Maker, who is thin and shapely, but she makes fat loaves ofbread. Then there's Minister Moonster the Minister (who is Plain Willum theWeaver on weekdays), Kawasaki the Left-Handed Farmer, Barbara the Carpenter, andMayor Ignoratius B. Overbite, each unique and memorable in his or her own way.Highly recommended. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Quirky adventure
Playwright, writer and humorist David Ives dips into the world of children's books with the adaptation of an old legend about a monkey and a small coastal town. With plucky preteens, cartoonish baddies and a very energetic chimpanzee, this is a fun short read.

The tiny but self-important village of MacOongafoondsen (Population: 21) has been experiencing mysterious thefts, right before a strange, seemingly empty ship runs aground on the beach. Emmaline (not "Emma-leen") and her linguistically-gifted friend Flurp (actually "Philip") encounter a small, hairy, odd-looking creature who will only say "Eek," locked in one of the ship's cabins.

The repugnant Bailiff Shmink and stupid Mayor Overbite immediately decide (in a display of hideous logic) that as the ship is foreign, it must be French, and as Monsieur Eek (as the stranger is now called) is a foreigner and has a lot of body hair, he must be a thief and a spy. As the daughter of the late mayor (before Overbite), Emmaline decides to be Eek's lawyer at a fair trial where the verdict has been pre-decided. But the mayor and bailiff manipulate the situation for their own ends...

"Monsieur Eek" is based on a legend, possibly true and possibly not, about a coastal town in England where a chimp was put on trial. Happily, Ives doesn't cling to historical fixings and instead provides a quirky cast of characters, cartoonish situations, and last-minute saves. One example, for instance, is Flurp wearing a baseball cap and eating sandwiches long before everyone else did. The writing style is quick and funny, full of hilarious or chilling situations, and the dialogue is pretty realistic overall.

Emmaline (whose picky pronunciation of her name is a running joke) is a good heroine, with a smotheringly nervous mother and a townfull of people who don't have her clear vision and sense of justice. Readers will feel almost as frustrated as she is. Flurp is a good sidekick, who recognizes what a good friend Emmaline is, and doesn't care how strange the townsfolk think he is. Monsieur Eek (or rather, Samuel) isn't in the book as much as the kids are, and somehow the monkey never becomes quite as lovable as his costars. The villains are stupid, illogical, bigoted, and willing to do anything for themselves -- and readers will hate them.

It's an entertaining little adventure, probably destined to be a favorite among fans of Lemony Snicket, as the writing styles are somewhat similar. The main difference is that "Monsieur Eek" is a more upbeat tale, with definite lights at the end of the tunnel.

Wonderful fun!
This is a book which will make you laugh out loud (or at least chuckle softly!). It's marvelous.

When a shipwreck occurs on their shore, the townspeople of a small isolated village are forced to deal with their fear of strangers...specifically their fear of the especially evil and vile French. The townspeople---including such wonderful characters as Bob the Milkmaid and Kawasaki the Left-Handed Farmer---become divided as the trial of the mysterious Frenchman, Monsieur Eek, looms. Will Monsier Eek be found guilty of not only stealing the town's prized possessions but also of being French (a truly heinous crime)?

Don't miss out on this one!

Fun!
This was a very fun book to read. I love the way the author told the story, and I liked the characters in the town of twenty-one. They were all interesting in there own way. This was an easy to read book with some twists and great laughs.

Check it out! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure   2. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   3. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General   4. Children: Grades 4-6   5. Chimpanzees   6. Fiction   7. Humorous Stories   8. Humorous fiction   9. Juvenile Fiction   10. Law & Crime   11. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic   12. Trials   13. Juvenile Fiction / Science Fiction, Fantasy, Magic   

Customer Reviews (3)

Great new story
After reading the original 5 or 6 Curious George stories to my 2 year old son about a hundred times, it is refreshing to see some new adventures. We just picked up this book today after going to the dump and my son just loves it. The spirit of the original stories is still there while the artwork is slightly more crisp and detailed. I look forward to reading the other new stories!

Little Boys Love It!
A dump truck, a lever that gets pulled not once but twice, and robbers! What a combo and George is a hero again. I hope someday that they bring this version out of print. My boys loved it and my preschool boys page through it everyday! It is also a great springboard to the other great Curious George books.

A family favorite
My 3 year old loves Curious George books and all kinds of heavy equipment so combining the two means it's one of his favorite books, and just like George he is always curious especially about George and why he is doing what he is doing. In our house both my 3 year old and 17 month old would sooner read about Curious George than watch tv. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure   2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   3. Children: Kindergarten   4. Ducks   5. Dump trucks   6. Fiction   7. Humorous Stories   8. Juvenile Fiction   9. Monkeys   10. Transportation - Cars/Trucks   11. Transportation - General   12. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Apes & Monkeys   13. Ages 4 - 8   14. Grades PreK - 3   15. Picture Book   

Customer Reviews (28)

A depressing but very important work
I read this book several years ago but I find myself constantly referring to it in conversations about politics and global events. The chilling examination of rape, genocide and infanticide practiced by male orangutans, chimpanzees, and gorillas (respectively) is depressingly resonant of our human penchant for violence, and suggests that we come by these behaviors "honestly" by way of a shared genetic heritage. Unfortunately, we don't seem to share as much behavior with our other close relatives, the bonobos, who make love, not war. More poignantly than anything else I have read, this book poses the question of whether humans can ever overcome their genetic predisposition for violence and create a more peaceful society. If the past decade of world events is any indication, the very depressing conclusion would seem to be in the negative. But there are always pockets of progress and glimmers of hope -- of all the great apes we are the most adaptable and unpredictable. By illuminating the biological imperatives underlying our most unattractive behaviors, the book adds to our self-knowledge and, we can dimly hope, may even help our flawed species alter its violent trajectory.

The best book ever on our primate past
This is by far the best book I have read about the behavior of primates, including humans, with regards to violence, genocide, infanticide, lesbianism (bonobos), mate selection, etc. This book is another large step in dispelling culture as the basis for aggression. If we are to get beyond violence, war, wife beating, and hatred we have to understand how these forces came about in our evolutionary past. This book looks at our four closest relatives: chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans and uses their life history to construct human evolution. This book reads like a novel, and can be appreciated by the novice as well as the academic. And it doesn't shy away from facing what we are really about; dominate males, and females who want to mate with dominate males because they are better adapted to pass on genes to the next generation. But it also explains how we can turn our backs on that pattern by understanding it, and behaving differently. For me, one of the exiting things about understanding human evolution is that I no longer have to follow the herd. I can get an understanding of the tensions between the sexes and rise above it to some extent. Understanding is the first step towards changing behavior that is innate, but not necessary.

Our roots in reality
What drives humanity to engage in its incessant wars? Why do men fight over apparent inconsequentials? Is rape a "natural" and "sex-driven" event, or merely the consequence of human cultural demands? These questions and a host of others are addressed in this superb survey of primate behaviour studies. Ever since Jane Goodall discovered chimpanzees sought colobus monkeys for dinner treats, new studies of primates have revealed arresting behaviour patterns. Like humans, other primates murder, rape and even make war. The authors have scoured a wealth of primate studies to derive a picture of our heritage. They suggest we learn what our cousins do in order to better understand what we do. Otherwise, we will continue to make bad decisions based on flawed assumptions.

Our fellow primates are avid territorialists, argue the authors. Borders unseen by us are clearly delineated by chimpanzees, orangutans and monkeys. These defined areas are hotly defended. The other side of the coin produces invasions. Opportunism, failing resources, or just spite, drives chimpanzee groups to stealthily scout and enter another band's range. Rarely, an individual will stage a foray, but only if he thinks success likely. Too often, the raids appear to have no particular purpose. A sally may lead to injuries or even death, but the attacking troop is just as likely to withdraw to its original range with neither captives nor booty. What prompts these seemingly mindless assaults? Are they inevitable among primates?

The latter question was answered, according to the authors, with the discovery of the "pygmy chimpanzee" or bonobo. This species contrasts sharply with its common chimpanzee cousins, who live in bands beset by tension. Common chimpanzees may raid other groups, but "back home" the hierarchical structure leads to internal conflict. Raids on other groups may vent some aggravation, but it's the struggle for dominance that rules common chimp behaviour. Bonobos, by contrast, use sex to resolve their social conflicts. Bisexual and same sex couplings are common and frequent. With no hierarchy to climb, males need not struggle for dominance. Although a senior female may wield some authority, even her "rules" are imparted by selected groomings or couplings with aggressors.

Bonobos are late arrivals on the evolutionary stage, having split off from the chimpanzee line after chimps and humans diverged from their common ancestor. Humans tended in some ways toward chimpanzee behaviour, toward bonobos in other aspects. Male dominance and most aspects of male violence stem from similarities to our nearest cousins, the chimps, say the authors. They stress that most human violence is rooted in our volutionary past. Although they're prompt to deny that this foundation cannot be overcome, they stress that we must understand these roots in order to make better decisions. Most significantly, they argue, we must shed the mythology of violence as a cultural artefact. This will be a difficult step for many, but it must be taken. This book will ease the path.
[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada] ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aggressive behavior in animals   2. Anthropology - General   3. Apes   4. Archaeology / Anthropology   5. Behavior   6. General   7. Life Sciences - Evolution   8. Nature   9. Nature/Ecology   10. Nature / Apes & Monkeys   

Customer Reviews (1)

curious george is having a party!
The man is the yellow hat tells George that he is working on a surprise. George gets curious like always. He looks around and finds lots of party decorations. He decides to put them up to help his friend with the yellow hat. George smells something great in the kitchen. He discoves it'a cake and try to help put the icing on it. He makes a big mess. Soon the man with the big hat comes home and George finds out the party is for him!

Curious George is always into something. I like to here the stories and see where his curiousity leads him.

I would recommed this to kids ages 3-8. Most kids enjoy Curious George storties and this is very cute one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure   2. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   3. Celebrations - Birthdays   4. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   5. Children: Kindergarten   6. Humorous Stories   7. Juvenile Fiction   8. Preschool Picture Story Books   9. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Apes & Monkeys   

Jane Goodall might be a household name for most grownups, thanks to herpioneering work with chimpanzees and more recent efforts at habitatpreservation. But many kids don't know the Goodall story and will love thischance to hit the ground in Tanzania and learn about the remarkable scientistand her beloved chimp friends. With dozens of vintage photographs, Goodallrecounts her early research in Gombe National Park, including a recap of herchildhood and how she came to know Louis Leakey and first enter the bush. Withclear and careful prose, Goodall explains her findings about chimp communitiesand communication, the role of hierarchies, and what sort of threats chimpanzeesface today. Best of all, Goodall's account always keeps curious young readers inmind, even relating some of her mistakes, such as when she became too close toher subjects and interfered with her own research.

Young protoscientists will appreciate Goodall's frank descriptions, fromkerosene-can-assisted dominance displays to her discovery that chimps engage inhunting and warlike behaviors, and hopefully, such detail will inspire furtherinterest in the future of chimpanzees and other threatened species. Proceedsfrom the book will go to Roots & Shoots, a "grassroots environmental andhumanitarian education program for young people" under the Jane GoodallInstitute. Because "hundreds of roots and shoots--young people like you--aroundthe globe can break through and make the world a better place for all livingthings." (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Jane Goodall tells about her chimpanzees to a new generation
My father subscribed to both "National Geographic Magazine" and their related series of books, the most memorable of which was about Jane Goodall's study of chimpanzees in Africa. The story of her work and the photographs of Fifi, Flo, Flint, Gremlin, David Greybeard and the rest were so enthralling. Many of those photographs, such as the one of infant Flint watching his mother Flo fish for termites and showing that man is not the only tool-using animal, are collected in "The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours," which Goodall uses to introduce her exciting work to a new generation of young readers.

When she was a child Jane Goodall decided she wanted to go to the jungles of Africa and study its animals. Today she is one of the most renowned and respected scientists on the planet, having dedicated her life and work to the study of a community of chimpanzees at the Gombe National Park in Tanzania. In this fascinating book Goodall recounts her exciting adventure in making ground-breaking discoveries regarding chimpanzees and their profound similarities to human beings. She also talks about her struggle to protect this endangered species and their vanishing habitats.

Most of "The Chimpanzees I Love" looks at the Goodall's study of the generations of these chimpanzees, where we follow individual chimpanzees from babies to adulthood. Goodall provides simple descriptions of her discoveries, and often points out her own mistakes (naming her subjects was not exactly a scientific practice). Chapters are devoted to how she first made contact with and was accepted by the chimpanzees, how they communicate within their community, the relationship between mothers and babies, what a day in the forest is like, and the mind of the chimpanzees. At that point Goodall gets into the plight of the chimpanzees, including a distressing look at their lives in captivity and how they are being sold in markets in Afrcia. All of the proceeds from the sale of this book are donated to support of Goodall's international grassroots educational program, "Roots & Shoots."

"The Chimpanzees I Love" is both informative and inspirational, which is what you expect from Jane Goodall, who is one of the people who truly defined idealism for a lot of young kids in the Sixties. The idea that Flo's daughter Fifi, who was a little infant when Goodall began her studies, is now around forty years old and has had her eighth infant astounds me. But the one I miss is Flint, the first wild chimpanzee whose development was documented from birth through death, who turned out to be as much a child of the Sixties as the rest of us.

wonderful woman, extraordinary book
beautifully design and illustrated work by a woman who has devoted her life to chimpanzee rescue and understanding...(...)--this is for all children ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   2. Behavior   3. Biography & Autobiography - Science & Technology   4. Children's 4-8 - Biography / Autobiography   5. Children: Grades 3-4   6. Chimpanzees   7. Gombe Stream National Park   8. Juvenile Nonfiction   9. Juvenile literature   10. Science & Technology - Zoology   11. Tanzania   12. Zoologists   

Customer Reviews (2)

The family album
Dunbar and Barrett guide us through the forest of our family trees on a lively and informative tour. From tiny tarsiers to gargantuan gorillas, we are introduced to relatives familiar and forgotten. Some are distant in both time and place, but they are all part of our bloodline - or genetic lineage - whichever you prefer. As such, you should get acquainted and this is a fine introduction to the relationship. Each group of our primate relatives is described and superbly illustrated. Home range, diet and other characteristics are tabulated for each group. Most importantly, the lifestyles and behaviour patterns given demonstrate how much we know and need to learn. "Acting like a monkey" is a shopworn phrase that will be discarded by anyone reading this fine survey.

In describing primate evolutionary roots, the authors explain their importance to us. Primates exhibit special characteristics. Their arboreal living is almost unique among mammals. They share binocular vision with predator species, even when they subsist on leaves, fruit or grass. Meat-eating is not common among primates - our own roots suggest meat was but a minor part of our nutrition until recently. Given the limited size of this book and the wealth of material covered, there are still a number of surprises. Pictures of snow-covered Japanese macaques in warm mountain pools are commonplace today, but the authors suggest they learned this trick from tourists as recently as the 1960s! Learning, it seems, is more widespread among apes than previously thought. Chimpanzees "teach" others in their local group how to use tools.

Of all the traits Dunbar and Barrett describe, however, none is more enlightening than their summaries of primate behaviour. Primates have a wide range of social structures, from wandering solitaries to various groupings. Orang-utans are isolated by habit and habitat. More familiar chimps, gorillas, baboons and many monkey species form groups of gender divisions - single or few males dominant to numbers of females selectively controlling male access. Social arrangements lead to group activities of staggering variety. The most significant practice, however, is grooming - the removal of dead skin and parasites. Grooming takes up a significant proportion of time and is so meaningful in the social context as to be the most likely root of human speech.

Dunbar's comment in the "Further Information" section at the end summarizes the theme. He cites Jane Goodall's "In the Shadow of Man" as "the book that started it all . . . " Her studies of the Gombe chimpanzee community overthrew everything we thought we knew about apes and monkeys. Primate research has made immense strides since that 1971 publication. The authors have summarized the accomplishments and point to where more studies are required. They point out the need for haste, however. Many habitats are depleted and extinction awaits many species if steps aren't taken soon. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Great teaching tool!
I home teach my two children and bought this book for it's great pictures. I was pleasantly surprised with the great text full of interesting information. I also loved the family tress -now my kids now know about the different primate families. We have a trip planned to the zoo and will definately be bringing this book along. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals   2. Apes & Monkeys   3. General   4. Life Sciences - Zoology - Primatology   5. Nature   6. Nature / Field Guide Books   7. Nature/Ecology   8. Primates   

Customer Reviews (23)

Thank you AGAIN Peter Hoeg
Peter Hoeg is one of those rare writers -- whose every book is a literary treasure. I have yet to be disappointed by anything he has written. And this book -- the woman and the ape -- is not exception. Hoeg does such a masterful job at raising questions about our own species and our relationship to the Earth, that this book should be read by environmental studies students. Hoeg also entrances his readers -- once again -- with sensual writings, sensitive characters, and a magical air (as he did with Smilla's Sense of Snow), that this book should also be read in literary classes. ... simply: it is a book to be read. and shared.

A refreshing comic satire
Danish writer Peter Hoeg broke onto the American scene in a big way with his thoughtful thriller "Smilla's Sense Of Snow," his first novel published in English. While "The Woman And The Ape" has the pace of a thriller, it couldn't be more different.

A love story, a comic satire and a fable about the relations between human civilization and the rest of the world, "The Woman And The Ape" centers on two characters who could scarcely appear more hopeless and helpless.

Erasmus, the ape, opens the book with a daring escape from hardened animal smugglers, only to be captured by scientists after numerous run-ins with the city of London prove almost fatal. He is secretly installed at the home of rich and distinguished animal behaviorist, Adam Burden, who sees in this possible new species the fruition of his most ambitious dreams.

There, Erasmus arouses a mild curiosity and pity in the book's other main character, Adam's 30-year-old Danish wife, Madelene, an alcoholic beauty with a lousy self-image.

"Each morning Madelene was resurrected." At her mirror, "she did the one thing she knew herself to be truly good at: she re-created the myth which said that Madelene looks gorgeous." Her next task is to replenish her carafe of ethyl alcohol so she can float through her day being gorgeous and amiable and walling off the terrors of daily life.

In so doing she comes across the ape in his new quarters. "With some effort Madelene succeeded in coming up with a sketchy log of the past two days. The ape had arrived the day before yesterday. She had spent yesterday in bed with her carafe and that dreadful migraine. The bulk of the setup in front of her must have been erected in less than a day."

In her second encounter, "Madelene was overcome by a prickling sense of unease, as though she had sat on an anthill." Certain small truths home in on her along with the ape's "incalculable" gaze. These she quickly drowns, but something in her has been awakened.

She embarks on her own mission to discover what she can about the ape and her husband's activities, launching "new" selves (well fueled with alcohol) to accomplish the necessary daring subterfuges.

Hoeg keeps up a madcap energy, as humorous and cheering as it is biting and outlandish. Madelene takes on people she would ordinarily be too frightened to speak to, and in the process of amassing facts about the "impossible" existence of Erasmus, begins to free herself.

This she cannot actually do until she "saw her own weakness, saw it clearly, saw herself as the ape had seen her and then she gave up....She gave up drinking."

She organizes a daring, hilarious plan of escape for herself and Erasmus and the novel veers off in another direction - that of love story. This developing love is as lucid and erotic as the fog of alcohol was erratic and prickly.

By the end Erasmus has come fully into his own, a larger-than-life ape with a mission and a big surprise for the human race.

Hoeg's writing is pure pleasure - vivid and playful, earnest and rich, mocking and touching. His condemnation of animal exploitation is hardly new but his presentation is totally refreshing.

touching somewhere deep inside
this book does indeed touch somewhere deep inside. the novel is not interested in realitiy, in the stiching together of plot. Hoeg presents us with a story that moves between paralells and allows us to dream and purge at the same time. he allows humour and eroticism to take the place of plot and story. i like madeline and her test tube and samson and the dog. they all represent some deep flaw in our humanness. this book provoked and moved. and turned me on. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Reading Group Guide   2. Fiction   3. Fiction - General   4. General   

If you've seen the progressively cheesier Planet of the Apes movies of 1968-1973, you may be shocked to learn the first movie was adapted from an intelligent, ironic, and literate novel. You'll be less surprised when you learn the original novel Planet of the Apes was written by Pierre Boulle, author of The Bridge over the River Kwai.

In the novel Planet of the Apes, the three Frenchmen making the first interstellar journey discover a remarkably Earth-like world orbiting Betelgeuse--Earth-like, with one crucial difference: The humans are dumb beasts, and the apes are intelligent. Captured during a terrifying manhunt, locked in a cage, and ignorant of the simian language, Ulysse Merou struggles to convince the apes that he possesses intelligence and reason. But if he proves he is not an animal, he may seal his own doom.

Like the first movie, the novel Planet of the Apes has a twist ending, but a twist of a different--yet equally shocking--sort. --Cynthia Ward ... Read more

Customer Reviews (68)

Satirical, not action-packed.
Arguably author Pierre Boulle's best-known work, PLANET OF THE APES receives a new paperback edition with a movie tie-in cover to coordinate with the release of Tim Burton's "reimagining" of the 1968 classic. Though the image of a gorilla warrior on the front is striking and fresh, the contents inside are, luckily, exactly the same as they have always been.

An SF-powered satire of modern living, PLANET OF THE APES is not an action-packed spectacular, as both film versions have been, though there is action to be found. Instead, Boulle skewers the construction of contemporary society, values, and the unshakable belief of modern men in their own position at the apex of creation. And though this seems like an invitation for boredom, or preachiness, quite the opposite is the case: Boulle's book is fascinating and entertaining from beginning to end.

While those who expect another take on the films will doubtless be confused and perhaps disappointed, readers that are open to an entirely new experience with the "world of apes" concept will find Boulle's novel a great read.

Apes of a Different Nature
It's the year 2500. Three astronauts have set off from Earth to travel to the distant star of Betelgeuse. Carrying a small variety of vegetables, animals, and a chimpanzee their estimated time of travel is a little over two years.

After arriving at the star of Betelgeuse, they find, to their excitement, a planet that looks not unlike Earth. Initial views show landmasses, oceans, and an atmosphere that could possibly support life. Taking a shuttle down to the planet, signs of civilization can be seen as they fly overhead to a landing location.

This story reveals the plight of Ulysse Merou, one of the astronauts from Earth. He is thrown into a backwards world were Apes rule, and humans are the animals. The apes of this planet have science, technology, and art. They hunt humans for game and use them for experiments much like the humans of earth use monkeys. How, did a world so comparable to ours evolve into such a different state?

This is the first book I've read where I had a hard time separating the book from the movie. This is probably because I've seen the movie so many times before I read the book. I thought I should read it before the next movie comes out. The movie follows closely to the "concepts" of the book. The biggest differences being in how much more technically advanced the apes are in the book. Recognizable characters such as, Cornelius, Zira, and Nova are in the book. Ulysse Merou would actually be the George Taylor of the movie.

Boulle elegantly crafts a satire that points out how cruel humans can be. What could happen if the tables were turned? Possibly, even a glimpse of what we could be heading for in the far distant future. This is science fiction at it's finest.

The book has a nice twisted ending like the movie. However, it's much different and actually better crafted.

Apes
I love this book. It's a quick read but it also really makes you think. It gets you asking questions that you would never think of. I like this so much more then the movies. However, the American movie offers something a lot more different.
This book is much more political then the movie, and the characterizations are quiet different. I can see why the director of the original move, didn't want the cast to read the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction   2. Fiction - Science Fiction   3. Science Fiction   4. Science Fiction - Adventure   5. Science Fiction - General   6. Fiction / Science Fiction / Adventure   

Customer Reviews (2)

A Funny Kid's Book
This book helps kids use their imaginations. It talks about animals doing wacky things like reindeer square dancing. They'll love the funny pictures of animals in weird situations. They can imagine their own funny stories. It's definetley a good beginner book.

a fun, imaginative book
My son received this as a gift and adores it. While we don't read it every day anymore, it is still a favorite. I'd recommend this book for the 2-4 age range. The book goes through silly scenarios starting with chimps and going on to all kinds of different animals in other silly situations. The illustrations are excellent! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals   2. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   3. Animals - General   4. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   5. Children: Kindergarten   6. Fiction   7. Humorous Stories   8. Imagination   9. Juvenile Fiction   10. Stories in rhyme   11. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure   2. Animals - Apes & Monkeys   3. Children's Baby - Boardbooks   4. Children: Preschool   5. Fiction   6. Humorous Stories   7. Juvenile Fiction   8. Monkeys   9. Space flight   10. Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Apes & Monkeys   

Customer Reviews (5)

good collection
"The Great Ape Project" is a good collection of reasons for supporting the project of the same name.

Tearing down the walls that divide
This book is an excellent source of information provided by a variety of scientific and legal experts. The authors show us the rich emotional and cultural lives of non-human great apes. Researchers who use other apes because of their genetic and psychological complexity ought to be required to read this book. Indeed, the one flaw of this book is the fact that a few chapters are the works of researchers who have used, for example, the linguistic talents of other apes to advance their own careers. Other sections of the book, including a chapter vividly comparing the non-human and human slave trade, and a description of the case for legal rights based on the personhood of hominids, underscore that flaw with haunting and brilliant sensitivity.

Overall, The Great Ape Project lucidly demonstrates the unconscionability of continuing to use the other apes for experimentation, for teaching, for trade in their body parts, and in the entertainment industry. Moreover, it inspires us to broaden our definition of slavery to include our nearest living relatives.

Compelling Case for Sentience Rights
The contributors make a compelling case for sentience rights for higher primates based on strong empirical evidence and demonstrable harm caused to other higher primates that infringes on their rights claims as sentient beings. I would ask if the authors might consider a similar work that expands the case for cetacean rights on the same basis, though. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animal Rights   2. Animal rights movement   3. Apes   4. Apes & Monkeys   5. Nature / Field Guide Books   6. Nature/Ecology   7. Science / Zoology