Title: Monkey and Me
Author/Illustrator: Emily Gravett
Publisher: Pan Macmillan, $14.99 RRP
Publication Date: June 2010
Format: Board book
ISBN: 9780230739437
For ages: 4 - 8
Type: Picture book
About: A little girl takes her toy monkey on an adventure to the zoo, where they see penguins, kangaroos, bats, elephants and, of course, monkeys. And, like all children after a big day out, she is exhausted when she finally arrives home.
This is a simple, beautiful story. Each adventure to see a new animal begins with a lovely repetition – ‘Monkey and me, monkey and me, monkey and me, we went to see, we went to see some…’ – which is both catchy for young children and simple for early readers.
The illustrations are wonderfully appealing, with a certain charm that makes kids laugh. Small things, like a belly-button showing, a joey peeking out from its mother’s pouch, a cheeky monkey stealing a banana and a drawing of the outing, are great for kids to point out and have a chuckle over.
Monkey and Me has been an instant hit in our household, a new favourite to join the line of classics on the shelf, and one I have no doubt my daughter and I will enjoy reading together for a long, long time.
This book is available online
