Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car [Hardcover]

Eileen Christelow (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

The five little monkeys and Mama are eager to get a new car. The five little monkeys clean and paint their old car until it sparkles like new. But who will buy it? Perhaps those clever monkeys can convince their cranky crocodile neighbors that what they really need is . . . yes, a car! Children will love predicting how the five little monkeys will deal with each new challenge, making this a perfect story for interactive reading. Lively verse and Eileen Christelow's inimitably comic illustrations put the five little monkeys in the driver's seat in more ways than one.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The five little monkeys and their mama have had it with their "rickety, rattletrap wreck of a car." It's time to sell this old heap. Mama makes a "For Sale" sign and goes inside. But her ever-helpful children worry that the car is too icky, sticky, and slimy, and take matters into their own industrious hands. "I know!" says one little monkey. And next thing they know, they're washing and scrubbing the filthy jalopy. Now it's clean, but still rusty and stinky. The monkeys ponder. "I know!" says one little monkey. Soon the car is painted and perfumed within an inch of its life. Unfortunately, it's not visible to potential buyers. "I know!" says one little monkey. With all these collective brainstorms, it's not long before the sparkly clean, psychedelically colorful car has landed in the swamp, with the five chagrined little monkeys inside, and a gaggle of crocodiles lurking nearby, licking their chops. How will they ever get themselves out of this mess, and sell the car, to boot? "I know!" says one little monkey...

These five are no strangers to silly predicaments and clever solutions, as evidenced in Eileen Christelow's four other entertaining picture books about the quintet, including Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed and Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree. (Ages 3 to 7) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-A slight story told in rhyme. The monkeys' old family car becomes too much trouble for Mama and is put up for sale. The five little ones take it upon themselves to spruce it up, but despite their good intentions, the vehicle ends up in a swamp. Some crocodiles come to the rescue and decide to buy the wreck and the monkey family drives off in a snazzy red convertible. The pencil-and-watercolor illustrations highlight the industrious little monkeys and their expressive faces as the mishap unfolds. The rhyme scheme enhances the story, such that it is, although it sometimes sounds forced. Children may enjoy this addition to the other stories about the little monkeys, but may need an explanation of the economics of selling a heap and ending up with a brand new car.
Denise Reitsma, Howe Library, Hanover, NH
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (April 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395925665
• ISBN-13: 978-0395925669
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 10.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #376,963 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eileen Christelow has created numerous fun and funny picture books, including the Five Little Monkeys series, Author, and most recently, Letters from a Desperate Dog. She and her husband, Ahren, live in Vermont. For more information visit www.christelow.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another charming monkeys book!, April 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car (Hardcover)

Christelow has a way with the five little monkeys...my 2 1/2 year old daughter loves each edition and this one is no exception. She enjoys the crocodiles and the trouble that the monkeys have selling their car. The illustrations are really well done. What's nice is that the ending is not scary at all and the monkeys succeed!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Little Monkeys, May 21, 2010

By 

Isabella "Dr. Ruth d. Liles" (Camton,. Ohio) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car board book (Board book)

Quick delivery. Book in excellent condition. My grandchildren (toddlers) love the entire 5 Little Monkeys series....and so do I!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet another great book in this series, September 5, 2011

By 

A mom (San Francisco, CA USa) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car (Paperback)

This is yet another great book in the 5 little monkeys series. Its fun reading it to the kids and you can build in a lesson or two about how imp it is to help clean the car and use your brains on how to get out of some tight spots !