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My Chimp Friday: The Nana Banana Chronicles
 
 
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My Chimp Friday: The Nana Banana Chronicles [Hardcover]

Hester Mundis (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)


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Book Description

June 1, 2002

Rachel can't imagine why Bucky Greene, a scientist friend of her father's who's developing genetically engineered bananas, would show up at their New York City apartment in the middle of the night to leave a baby chimpanzee with them for a week -- or why they absolutely, positively can't tell anyone about it. What could possibly be "top secret" about an adorable chimp like Friday?

Rachel hasn't a clue, but when Friday turns out to be really, inexplicably intelligent (Rubik's Cube's a snap) -- and Bucky Greene turns up really, inexplicably dead (he slipped on his own banana peel) -- she suspects serious monkey business afoot. And when chimp-nappers step into the picture, getting to the bottom of Friday's "top secret" before it's too late becomes a delightfully madcap mystery -- with Rachel in a riotous, nonstop race for survival of the fittest.

Written by four-time Emmy-nominated writer and acclaimed humorist Hester Mundis, who raised a chimp of her own in her Manhattan apartment, this is a wonderfully funny -- and heartfelt -- novel about endangered species, corporate espionage, and going bananas in more ways than one.



Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Inspired by a chimpanzee raised by the author in a Manhattan apartment, this diverting if outlandish story centers on a baby chimp who comes to live with sixth-grader Rachel Stelson's New York family. Not long after fidgety scientist Bucky Greene furtively drops off Friday in the middle of the night, and begs them to keep him for a week and to say nothing, Greene is reported dead. Rachel soon realizes that someone knows Friday is residing with the Stelsons and wants to get hold of the chimp. Mundis, a comedy writer, is at her best with descriptions of the chimp: Friday turns out to be prodigiously gifted. He quickly learns to play solitaire on the computer, solve Rubik's Cube and dial the phone. And he causes merry mayhem in the school gym and at a toy store on several occasions when Rachel sneaks him out of the apartment in her backpack. The plot grows goofier, linking Friday's intelligence to genetically engineered bananas and Greene's death to the evil motives of his bosses at the Bio-Allmeans research lab. Balancing the effective humor, a wistful undercurrent Rachel's mother died three years earlier fans into a bittersweet conclusion. A good choice for animal lovers. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6-An entertaining and heartfelt urban "Curious George" for middle-grade readers. When Bucky Greene unexpectedly drops off a chimp at the Stelsons' Manhattan apartment at 2 a.m. and instructs the family to keep the animal's presence a secret, they are confused, to say the least. The mystery deepens after the eccentric scientist who entrusted Friday to their care is found dead. Eventually, it is revealed that he was working on a genetically engineered banana that greatly increased the chimp's intelligence. Now, the man's enemies are after his prize creature. Rachel, 12, and her brother, Jared, 9, become increasingly attached to the animal that can solve a Rubik's Cube, play solitaire, and use a computer. The kids are determined to protect Friday and keep him as their own, but, in the end, they realize that the city is not the proper environment for him, and learn what it means to sacrifice for the good of another. As outlandish as this plot seems, the novel is based on the author's experience of raising a chimp in New York City. The ending is surprisingly poignant and will resonate with readers who have had to bid farewell to a cherished pet. With the right mix of adventure and humor, this tale is likely to be popular with independent readers and as a read-aloud.
Ronni Krasnow, New York Public Library
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 176 pages
  • Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; 1st edition (June 1, 2002)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0689838379
  • ISBN-13: 978-0689838378
  • Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 11.5 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,935,728 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Mystery for Animal Lovers, November 3, 2004
By 
Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Twelve-year-old Rachel instantly falls in love with little Friday, a chimpanzee that has been left in her Father's care for a week, by a scientist named Bucky Greene, who is hard at work developing a non-slip banana peel. However, the circumstances of Friday's arrival are strange, for Bucky turns up at Rachel's New York City apartment with the little ape at 2:00 in the morning, saying that Friday is "top secret." Then Bucky turns up dead, and Rachel knows that something fishy is up. Something that she has to try to solve. After all, reading all of those NANCY DREW mysteries have left her with some ideas of how to be a good detective.

As an animal and mystery lover, I was absolutely ecstatic to come across MY CHIMP FRIDAY. Hester Mundis has done a spectacular job of weaving a fiction story that can appeal to both children and adults who love animals. Her descriptions of Friday's many talents, as well as the emotions that flow from all of the characters to Friday, and vice versa, are touching, and wonderfully described, and are sure to make MY CHIMP FRIDAY a best-seller. This is a lovely book that should be in the homes of all.

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars the secret chimp, October 28, 2005
A Kid's Review
I like this book because its a mystery.Its a mystery because the dads friend brought his family a chimp.His friend Bucky Greene, told them that the chimp is top secret.They tried to find out why the chimp was top secret and why they could not tell anyone.I also like this book because of friday,my favorite character.Friday is a chimp who is very smart and outgoing.He is very smart because he can type on the computer,he is outgoing because he is always ready to do something or play,and he is very intresting to read about. I also like how they describe the characters or setting very realistic.my favorite realistic lines in this book are this"choclate eyes were set in a light mocha face.His chin was a powder-white fuzz of beard.His hair was silky and black and parted in the center of his head,bristling out at the sides around two comically big ears".It is really cool because i like chimpanzeezs and it tells alot about how they live and their life.The number one reason i like this book is because it is a entertaining and heartfelt book.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars He's one smart little ape., July 7, 2004
By 
Do you like animals stories? Do you like mysteries with lots of slapstick humor and puns? Then I know you'll enjoy MY CHIMP FRIDAY, because it's all those things rolled into one.

When 12-year-old Rachel first sees Friday he's a small, frightened bundle of enchanting fur who reaches out to hug her and cling to her neck. Naturally, she goes "ape" over him. The fantastic news is that the strange little man who brings him to Rachel's home at 2:00 in the morning says they get to keep him --- for a while. But they can't tell anybody they've got him. How can Rachel and her little brother Jared keep a lively chimpanzee with 32 varieties of ear-splitting howls, yowls, and screeches a secret --- especially from nosy Aunt Lisa? It's definitely going to be a challenge.

It's also a challenge when Rachel finds out that the strange little man who left Friday with them slipped on a banana peel and died. As sad as that seems sad it's also a little mysterious. And Rachel loves a good mystery. But first and foremost, Rachel figures this means she gets to keep Friday for good. Wow! Her own little baby chimpanzee!

And he's a smart baby. Incredibly --- one might even say mysteriously --- smart. He can type real words on computers. He understands what people say to him. He's one smart little ape, and some bad people "ape-solutely" want him for themselves.

What will these people be willing to do to him to discover his secret? Read MY CHIMP FRIDAY to find out how Rachel unravels the mystery and maybe you'll learn Friday's secret!

--- (...)

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Inside This Book (learn more)
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
real chimpanzee, tummy rub, saintly patience
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Aunt Lisa, Hester Mundis, Bucky Greene, Agent Wilens, Wendy Mills, Mimi Wykaire, Rubik's Cube, Ben Stelson, Dee Dee, Earth Day, Mickey Phelps, Miss Underwood, Karla Nesmith, Shrunk the Habitat, Raggedy Ann, James Bond, Save the Planet, Animal Medical Center, New Jersey, Thank God, The Dahl School, New York City, Pickle Nose, Nana Banana
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
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