Manners Are Not for Monkeys

PreS-Gr 2—When an old zookeeper moves the monkey cage beside the picnic area, the curious young monkeys begin to pick up some new habits from the children they see. Impressed, the monkeys use good manners. Mother Monkey is quickly frustrated by her children's displays of etiquette—chewing with their mouths closed, taking turns, and tidying up their messes. She insists that they "try to behave like monkeys!" However, they have become so used to acting appropriately that they can't recall what monkeys should do. When a particularly wild bunch of children visit the zoo and try to remind the well-behaved monkeys how to swing, screech, and scatter garbage, the old zookeeper realizes that she has made a mistake. She moves the unruly children into the cage and releases the polite little monkeys. The comical illustrations are infused with humor and action. Silly expressions and quirky details make this a natural choice for sharing aloud.