Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 51
 Doctor, ain't there nothing I can take? June 19, 2005
E. R. Bird (Manhattan, NY)
17 out of 19 found this review helpful
If you're an ambitious person with a particular yen to write children's books, there's a sure-fire painless way to do so. Just take an already existing kid's song in the public domain and accompany your own particular brand of pictures to it. Sound easy? Thousands of would-be writers do it every day. Eileen Christelow's a little different, though. When she decided to bring, "Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed" to vivid life, she did so in the knowledge that the song itself hasn't much of a beginning or conclusion. Add a little nip here and a little tuck there and voila! Suddenly you've a plausible believable picture book that's so popular that it inspired sequels upon sequels. And it all began right here.
It's bedtime and a family of five monkey siblings bathe, dress, and brush their teeth for slumber. Their mama says good night to them, but it doesn't take long for pandemonium to ensue. If you know the song then you know what happens. One by one the free-spirited primates fall head over heels off the safety of the mattress and land hard on their noggins. With each additional injury the doctor, called by a frantic mama, gives the no nonsense answer of, "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!". By the end the multiple concussions render the little monkeys into an obligatory sleeping state. And in the next room? Why there's mama, finally given the chance to do a little bed jumping herself!
Text-wise, I did kind of wish that Christelow had taken the time to make the beginning and ending of the book rhyme. As it stands right now, these words are straightforward descriptive sentences. How hard would it have been to maintain the jouncy bouncy flavor of the song? Not hard. It's a peculiar choice on the part of the author. Still, aside from that this is a fun book. Ms. Christelow's illustrations, all done in some colored pencils, give us some pretty raucous animals. They don't just jump on the bed. They flounce and fly and pounce and fling themselves hither and thither on the bed. I also liked the fact that they weren't all boys. In every other "Five Little Monkeys" representation out there, the monkeys tend to be male. As if girls wouldn't jump on a bed the minute they got a chance. Sheesh.
I find the argument from some parents that this isn't a good purchase because it might give your children ideas TO jump on the bed somewhat silly. Kids like to jump on beds. If they don't do it now, they will sometime in the future. And if you want a story where the consequences of bed-hopping are laid out clear as crystal, I can think of no better cautionary tale than "Five Little Monkeys Jumping On the Bed". Seriously, people.
So Christelow drops the ball a little with her lazy writing, but otherwise this is probably the quintessential book version of the Monkey song. It's catchy and fun and a fine l'il ole purchase. Recommended for anyone with a high-spirited monkey of their own.
 memory supports reading November 26, 1998
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
I first read this book to a group of sixteen two year olds. They had a wonderful time echo reading. They were learning and did not even know it. I think books that have expressive, repetitive lines are sensational. I recommend this book for any parent or teacher teaching reading.
An engaging and humorous tale that entertains repeatedly! December 9, 1998
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
This is the first book that my son would sit still for when we read to him. Starting at age 2, he repeatedly asked for the "monkey book"! It's a great story of the monkeys that continued to jump on the bed despite the previous injury of their siblings. Keep an eye on the doctor monkey... He gets more and more exasperated at his young patients and their mother as the story goes on. Highly recommended!
you (and your children) will die laughing December 9, 2000
M. H. Bayliss
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
I love this book. My daughter (3 ½) could not stop howling with laughter as we read this book about five times in a row. By the fifth or so reading, she'd memorized it (not that hard to do since we just count down the number of monkeys jumping on the bed: "five little monkeys, jumping on the bed, one fell off and bumped his head, mama called the doctor and the doctor said, No more monkeys jumping on the bed!" How could you not laugh after reading this book? Plus, the illustrations with the little monkeys are adorable. The other ones in the series are not nearly as good as this one, so if you only buy one, make it the original five little monkeys.
Too much fun for bedtime! January 7, 2002
Spencer Medvick (Richfield, OH USA)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
Yes, this book WILL get the kids trying to jump on the bed. It's a lot of fun, and much laughing is heard whenever we read it. There is a lot of detail in the pictures - I love watching the doctor, and Mama gives us a great ending! I picked this up when my younger son was asking for us to play "monkeys on the bed" (the rhyme with hand motions)over & over & over - my fingers were tired. We've been reading ever since! Have I mentioned that the board book format is a great, sturdy idea? Definately a good buy, and highly recommended.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 51
|
