The Best Little Monkeys in the World by Natalie Standiford is a “Step into Reading” book, recommended for 1st through 3rd graders. The charming plot and illustrations also make it a great book to read aloud.
Marvin and Mary are too little monkeys who live in a house on stilts in the jungle. Their parents are going out and have asked a teenaged monkey named Judy to babysit for them. Mary and Marvin are excited because Judy lets them do anything they want. Their mother tells them to be good; Judy assures her that her children are “the best little monkeys in the world”.
When the parents drive off, Judy picks up the phone to call her friends. Marvin and Mary ask if they can make dinner. They decide to make banana shakes, putting ten bananas, milk, and lots of ice cream in the blender. They forget to put on the lid. They make a mess, but drink the rest of the shake. Since they are sticky, they decide they need a bubble bath. Judy is still talking on the phone. Marvin and Mary turn on the tub and add lots of bubbles. They decide to crawl out the window and play on their monkey bars while they wait for the tub to fill. They have fun, but end up falling in a mud puddle. They leave a trail of mud on the porch and hallway as they walk into the house. There are bubbles everywhere. And Judy is still on the phone. Marvin and Mary put on their pajamas and ask if they can watch TV. They watch a spooky show, even though their mother doesn’t like them too. They end up being scared, and Judy is asleep. They notice what time it is, and then notice the mess. They run get a mop and pail, and clean up the mud, the bubbles, and the banana shake. They are so tired they put themselves to bed. Judy wakes up and finds them safe in their beds. Soon their parents are home and ask if Marvin and Mary were good. Judy says they were wonderful and that they were “the best little monkeys in the world”.
Illustrator Hilary Knight put in so many fun jungle elements, like the webbed feet on the bathtub, the elephant handle on the refrigerator, and the “furtone” button on the TV. There are also fun things like the TV news showing a puzzling bubble mystery and a bird helping himself to candy throughout the book. We used to be able to notice a new detail just about every time we read the book.
Also See:
I’m as Quick as a Cricket and The Very Quiet Cricket
The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear – Don and Audrey Wood
Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Television Dog – David Adler