Two Little Monkeys

Monkeys Cheeky and Chee are happily playing, but "something's prowling-- / what could it be?" The leopard below looks "Ooooooh....Scary!" to Cheeky and Chee, but the ground-level illustration of the big cat isn't very threatening. Fox's peppy rhyming text propels the story forward; similarly, Barton's art draws the eye across spreads, keeping pace with the narrative's infectious energy.

Monkey friends Cheeky and Chee are happily playing on the savanna, but "something's prowling -- / what could it be?" Once alerted, they don't wait to find out (though sharp-eyed viewers might hazard a guess), and off they dash up a "big old tree." When they feel brave enough, they peep down to check: "Who IS that prowling? / What do you see?" The leopard below looks "Ooooooh... Scary!" to Cheeky and Chee, but Barton's ground-level illustration of the big cat isn't very threatening. It is a little unnerving when one monkey loses her balance and begins to fall; young kids will cheer after Cheeky and Chee both successfully leap to another tree. Barton has her work cut out for her in this book, as most of the scenes feature the identical-looking gray and white monkeys in a tree (trembling, hiding, peeping, etc.). Fox's peppy rhyming text propels the story forward; similarly, Barton's watercolor compositions draw the eye across spreads, keeping pace with the narrative's infectious energy. The monkeys' expressions anticipate viewers' responses to the drama, which has just the right amount of tension for ers. Expect to see lots of Cheekys and Chees monkeying around after story hour. kitty flynn