Reviews

Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick, David Serlin

librariandest's review against another edition

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5.0

Baby Monkey trying to put on his pants had my three-year-old busting a gut. She was cracking up so hard we had to stop so she could catch her breath. That's a five star book any day of the week.

This a hybrid between a traditional early reader (very few words per page, big font size, lots of repetition, illustrations are clues to the text) and a chapter book (around 200 pages, five chapters, has a more "I'm a big kid now" look to it). Even though it's a lot of pages, it's best read in one sitting because the joke builds to a crescendo and ends sweetly.

This book is near perfect. The only quibble I have is: why is the mom dressed in a 19th century bonnet and shawl? Baby monkey's pants are jeans and there's a SPACESHIP and an astronaut in one chapter so it's really puzzling to me that mom is dressed like Little Bo Peep. I know her face is meant to be hidden in the first picture of her, but there could have been other ways to accomplish that.

librarywonder's review against another edition

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4.0

I read this a few days ago and didn’t see the appeal In it. My 3-1/2 year old daughter noticed it and asked me to read it to her tonight. Wow, what a totally different experience it was reading it together. We laughed and laughed together, and she wanted to read it again right away. I’m glad she asked to read it and I gave it a second chance.

sallydonnelly's review against another edition

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5.0

Great beginning reader book!!

m_eggs's review against another edition

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5.0

absolutely amazing. baby monkey solved all the cases and found mama. honestly heartwarming.

mindfullibrarian's review against another edition

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5.0

As an elementary school librarian, reading teacher, and a parent of a 6-year-old (and several older kids who were once 6), I'll tell you why this book is fabulous: because ALL kindergarten and first graders want in the whole entire world is to be able to check out and read a BIG BOOK. They want one just like the big kids get. The thick ones. With chapters. That's why Selznick's other books are so hot - BIG THICK BOOKS that all kids can experience.

BUT. We keep talking Good Fit Books this and Good Fit Books that. Blah blah blah. WELL, this is it. It's big. It's thick. It has tons of pages. BUT. THEY CAN READ IT! I field tested it with my 6 yo daughter last night and she LOVED it. She figured out all the picture clues and was able to read multiple sections to me. And as an adult, it's just plain adorable. The majority of "early readers" are either 1) incredibly little/skinny or 2) not actually for the earliest readers. So many of the new early chapter books are actually written at an upper 2nd/3rd grade reading level.......fine for them, but not for actual beginning readers!

I will be buying multiple copies of this book for my library and anticipate it never being on the shelf.

Thanks to the Kid Lit Exchange network for the review copy of this book - all opinions are my own.

mdodds11's review against another edition

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5.0

Love it! Baby monkey is super cute and I love how each office picture has different details... !

jennyseiler's review against another edition

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3.0

I really enjoyed Baby Monkey. The format is engaging and the repetitive nature of the text is perfect for younger readers. My kiddos were giggling very early on, and I loved watching the 5 year old be able to figure out words and read the story outloud to herself.

dereadergal's review against another edition

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3.0

Adorably cute book. I love the illustrations and the story, but I wish there was a wee bit more on the investigation part. It felt a bit too simplistic, even for children.

gritshelme's review against another edition

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5.0

No time for pants!

crystal_reading's review against another edition

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Final copy via publisher.