BOOKS

Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Maniac Muffins

illus. by Chris Monroe. 32p. Carolrhoda. Sept. 2016. lib. ed. $17.99. ISBN 9781467721554.
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PreS-Gr 2—Chico Bon Bon is back in this fourth installment, trying to correct Clark the elephant's kitchen disaster. He was preparing a breakfast to celebrate Uncle Bill's graduation from hotel-motel management school and destroyed the kitchen in the process. Using his wits and 27 tools on his tool-belt apron, Chico Bon Bon unclogs, welds, cleans, and cooks. Unfortunately, the determined elephant's egg surprise and overuse of baking powder lead to an explosion that shoots muffins all over the neighborhood. Chico's master plan with giant pancakes is revealed in panels as he creates a barrier to capture the muffins before they careen into the shops. He then rolls the crumbled muffins into the pancakes, much to the culinary delight of all citizens. Monroe shares three recipes at the end as the party concludes with savored but weird food. There is at least a chuckle on every page, and the monkey's engineering prowess is inspiring.
VERDICT With a plethora of details and powerful humor, this title will be a popular segue into STEM sessions. Expect an explosive storytime.

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