Product Description

Play is the order of the day for a group of vacationing monkeys determined not to let any silly rules get in their way. But when one monkey too many joins the crowd, everyone's in for some unexpected surprises. With winning rhyme and lively illustrations, One Monkey Too Many captures the outrageous antics of mischievous monkeys who make the most of their holiday--and learn a lesson or two along the way.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #801999 in Books
• Published on: 1999-03-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 32 pages

Amazon.com Review
A bike is for just one monkey to ride, right? Well, not if another monkey jumps on the handlebars. "Hooray, the two shouted. / We're having such fun. / This bike is far better for two / than for one!" That is, until they hit a bump in the road and monkeys go flying. One Monkey Too Many playfully explores the hazards of loading too many monkeys into a golf cart, canoe, or hotel bed, and finally, into the picture book itself: "Six, said the author. / "This book is for six. / The pages are full, / so no more of your tricks." Even that doesn't stop extra pesky monkeys from sneaking into the picture. Lynn Munsinger's thoroughly charming, expressive illustrations add energy and humor to Jackie French Koller's already vivacious rhymes. Children will love the fact that the monkeys gleefully ignore the warnings of the well-meaning adults, as well as the page-splattering chaos that ensues when one monkey too many is along for the ride. Kids will also enjoy locating the extra monkeys in this buoyant read-aloud romp, making it an excellent counting book. (Ages 3 to 6) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly
This mischievous rhyming and counting book revels in excess. Just one more monkey always appears, to crash the bike built for one, to wreck the canoe just right for three and to turn a bed for five into a pillow fight for six. In the last spread, the monkeys jump off the page to deface the book itself: "One monkey too many came sneaking and.../ ...LOOK!/ One monkey too many got into this book!" Munsinger's (Hooway for Wodney Wat, reviewed above) rambunctious, lively art is a joy: the monkeys are blithely bad, and the chaos into which every scenario devolves gives kids plenty of diversions to follow. In each new situation that arises, the artist shows the invading monkey hidden somewhere on the spread. Koller (Mole and Shrew All Year Through) turns the childhood impulse to join in the fun into a tale that will appeal to the imp in everyone. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-K-This story begins as one deceptively calm monkey is presented with a bike: "'One,' said the bikeman./'This bike is for one./One monkey can ride it,/and one can have fun.'" Another monkey is hiding behind the bikeman, though, and as soon as his back is turned, it joins the first on the bike, and before long they crash in a thoroughly satisfying way. Chaos builds throughout as the monkeys are offered a golf cart for two, a canoe for three, a table for four (in a fancy restaurant, of course), and a bed for five. The closing scene, in which Koller insists that the book is for six monkeys, is perfect for this funny story that's ideal for group sharing. The infectious rhythm of the text never falters, and Munsinger's illustrations, set against plenty of white space, revel in the gleeful monkey business. Spilling, breaking, dropping, and crashing have never been this much fun.
Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

One of the best illustrated children's books ever! Fun!
The writing is great but the illustrations make the book. The monkeys are adorable and you can make a game out of discussing them with the kids. Lynn Munsinger has done it again!

Educators Recommend
This is one funny book! The story begins with a bear bikeseller telling the monkey, "This bike is for one. / One monkey can ride it, / and one can have fun." True to its title, it doesn't take long for "one monkey too many" to jump on the bike-with predictably disastrous results. "It started to wobble. / It started to pitch. One monkey too many crashed into the ditch!"

Left with a busted bike, the two monkeys are given a cart by a golfing tiger. "Two," said the golfer. / "This cart is for two. / If you're looking for fun, / this is perfect for you." Would have been perfect, that is, if "one monkey too many" hadn't hopped right on.

The story continues in this vein with the monkeys trying out a canoe, an elegant restaurant, and, finally, a large bed.

At story's end, the book's author tells the monkeys, "This book is for six. The pages are full, / so no more of your tricks." Of course, as soon as the author goes out to lunch . . . you guessed it . . . one monkey too many gets into the book-literally-making a huge, hilarious mess all over the last page.

Lynn Munsinger was the perfect choice for illustrating this clever creation. Her pen and ink and watercolor cartoons capture perfectly the rambunctious action and gleeful expressions of the monkeys, as well as the horrified-yet comical-faces of the onlookers.

The book is a delight to read aloud. Highly recommended.

Reviewed by the Education Oasis Staff.

Charming
Illustrations are warm and fun. Rhyming is done very well. It is not the sometimes stiff and unusual vocabulary you can get in childrens' books that is used just to get a rhyme.

I did not give it 5 stars b/c the story was just a little bit awkward. It wasn't always evident why one more monkey would have been the cause of the problem as opposed to it just being attributable to the rowdiness of the monkeys. Never-the-less, it is an above average and fun to read kid book.