The Complete Adventures of Curious George, Anniversary Edition [Hardcover]

H. A. Rey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2001 | Age Range: 5 - 8 years

“This is George. He lived in Africa. He was a good little monkey, and always very curious.” With these words, H. A. and Margret Rey introduced the world to Curious George in 1941, and the world has loved him ever since. The tales of this cheerful and resilient little hero have kept generations of readers enthralled and entertained. Now, in recognition of the sixtieth anniversary of his debut, Houghton Mifflin proudly presents a special edition of George’s best-loved adventures.

With an introduction by critic Leonard Marcus, a retrospective note by publisher Anita Silvey, and a cataloged history of the Reys by curator Dee Jones, this collection offers a fun and fascinating portrait of a classic character and his unique creators.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Sixty years have passed since a curious little chimp in Africa met the man with the big yellow hat and got into the first of many scrapes. Decades later, George is as curious--and naughty--as ever. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Curious George's debut, this special edition is a collection of seven classic adventures by Margret and H.A. Rey, along with an introduction by critic Leonard Marcus, a retrospective note by publisher Anita Silvey, a history of the Reys by Dee Jones, curator of the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection, and a photo album. The many generations of fans of the "good little monkey who was always very curious" will be fascinated to learn how H.A. and Margret escaped on bicycle from German-occupied Paris, with just their winter coats and several picture books (including a draft of Curious George, then called Fifi) strapped to the racks. Photos and essays reveal H.A. to have been a gentle, humorous man, while Margret, by all accounts, was spirited and brutally direct, with a keen business mind. The chemistry between them worked beautifully. Between them, they created one of the most beloved characters in children's literature. This handsome volume includes Curious George, Curious George Takes a Job, Curious George Rides a Bike, Curious George Gets a Medal, Curious George Flies a Kite, Curious George Learns the Alphabet, and Curious George Goes to the Hospital. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

Gathering all of the intrepid monkey's tales under one roof, The Complete Adventures of Curious George: 60th Anniversary Edition by Margret and H.A. Rey begins with an introduction by Leonard S. Marcus, continues with publisher Anita Silvey's perspective and follows with the six original tales in their entirety. Photos of the creative couple close the volume.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 5 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: HMH Books; 60 HAR/COM edition (September 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618164413
• ISBN-13: 978-0618164417
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 1.1 x 10.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (165 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #409,445 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

205 of 222 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Classic stories bound in a cheap binding December 2, 2002

By Daniel L Edelen TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

What can be added to classic stories like these? The content of this collection is unimpeachable, so I'll pass and skip onto what downgraded the collection.

In short, this is a very shoddily constructed book. My wife and I carefully handled it when reading to our son, but within a couple days the page bundles were separating from the binding in two spots. This has progressed at such a rate that the whole book is threatening to come apart.

This is inexcusable, particularly given the thickness of the book. If you make a collection like this that will be heavily used and will certainly be handled less than gingerly by children, you better make it strong. That ours got wonky while being read from by two responsible adults makes it worse. Shame on Houghton Mifflin for producing such a poorly made book!

We purchased "The Complete Adventures of Curious George" in the hopes of saving a few dollars over purchasing all seven of the included stories separately. In light of the poor quality, though, it has proven itself to be a terrible value. Check out other options rather than purchasing a book sure to self-destruct.

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars We read this book every night! November 21, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I bought this book when my three year old was born, and we have been reading it ever since. We can read other books during the day, but at night, only Curious George will do. Since the stories are rather long (50-60 pages, albeit with large text and lots of pics), I now have my son read the stories to me, and he has memorized them all by using the illustrations as cues. We also have discussions about how George must feel in different situations, and what we would do if we were in his place. For both the story lines and the wonderful, colorful illustrations we rate "The Complete Adventures of Curious George" a classic among classcs for children.

39 of 42 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars GET A GRIP, PEOPLE!!!!! August 7, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

How could anyone write a bad review of these priceless books? Does anyone really believe these stories will lead children to think that it is a good idea to go off with someone who throws a sack over their head? These are absolutely delightful books that generations of children have enjoyed and read to their own children. George is a hero kids can understand. He gets into predicaments because of his curiosity, but he has a conscience, knows when he has messed up, and always makes amends for his behavior--lessons desparately needed these days. People will be reading Curious George to their kids a hundred years from now. The stories are timeless, and it is great to have them collected in one durable edition.