Mrs. McClosky's Monkeys [Library Binding]

Elvira Woodruff (Author), Jill Kastner (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up

When Mrs. McClosky's three rambunctious boys wake up one day and find they have turned into monkeys, Mrs. McClosky takes them to live at the zoo where they are a big hit.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

As Mrs. McClosky watches her three rambunctious boys swinging from trees or climbing around the house, she sometimes has to admit to herself that they resemble monkeys. When the boys grow fur and sprout tails, it comes as no surprise--and everyone who knows them believes that these three terrors might be more at home in the zoo. They cause quite a sensation in their new environment. At first the boys enjoy providing a spectacle for the noisy crowds, but before long the novelty wears thin and they begin to pine for home. Mrs. McClosky is happy to have her boys back--even though they may not be completely cured of their apelike tendencies. This lively tale, while not particularly distinctive, displays a keen sense of imagination in which the transformation from boy to monkey is eerily convincing. Although they are somewhat static, Kastner's ( Night Owls ; Sarah's Surprise ) rich chalk drawings possess a pleasingly homey quality. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-2-- The three McClosky brothers are so berserk over the prospect of summer vacation that they abandon all notions of self-discipline and self-control. After a particularly disorderly day, they begin to change into monkeys. As their behavior continues to deteriorate they grow more and more apelike. At last they decide to take up residence in the zoo. But the high jinks pall. The boys grow bored with being monkeys and return to their human forms, albeit retaining some simian aspects. The oddly depthless illustrations resemble charcoal drawings overlaid with pastel chalk, in lots of primary colors thickly applied. Unattractive children become equally unattractive beasts while their ineffective mother whines almost continually. A disappointment from the author who created the funny Tubtime (Holiday, 1990). --Ruth Semrau, Lovejoy School, Allen, TX
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Library Binding
• Publisher: Scholastic Trade (February 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590412337
• ISBN-13: 978-0590412339
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,500,580 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)