Wednesday, June 11, 2014

100 Hungry Monkeys! by Masayuki Sebe -- ADVISABLE

Sebe, Masayuki 100 Hungry Monkeys! PICTURE BOOK. Kids Can Press, 2014. $16.95. Content: G.

When the 100 monkeys run out of food, their leader takes them on an adventure to find more. As they wander, they catch the attention of a giant, green monster. The monkeys panic, but it turns out that just because something looks mean and scary, it doesn't mean it actually is. Each spread is reported to contain all 100 monkeys (although I admit I didn't count the monkeys on all 28 pages).

While the book does have a narrative thread, it's the interactive portions that will likely keep kids engaged by asking them to find particular objects on each page, or challenging them to count how often certain things appear. Because most of the tasks require close viewing, the book would not work well for a classroom read-aloud, but it would be fun for children reading independently or in pairs. It would also work well for lap reading, provided enough time is available for completing each challenge. In the right environment, it could be a good kick-off for a unit on the number 100 as well.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) -- ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Caryn

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