Two Little Monkeys

My appreciation for this book grows every time I read it. The simple plot (monkeys play, monkeys spot danger, monkeys flee, monkeys fear, monkeys stay safe) provides so many rich opportunities to have a wide range of discussions with kids of varying ages.

Illustrations span both pages, providing ample visual stimuli to keep listeners engaged. The brief number of words per page (2>25), and the large, fun font allows early readers to read along without the 'mental fatigue' typical of long stories.

Combination of choral refrain ("Two little monkeys, one named Cheeky, one named Chee") seems to draw in younger readers/listeners (

This does the thing where monkeys are kind of like innocent-child-noble-savages (we've moved on from "in need of Western tutelage," at least)--here, one is named "cheeky" and one is named "chee," and that kind of ruins it all from my perspective. "Cheeky" is just a horrible word--makes me think either of the Daily Mail, oo-er missus kind of old-timey British salacious sex thing (see also "saucy," "knees-up," etc.) or of the grimmest, joylestest kind of disciplinarian parent (for my one poor cousin, who was a headstrong lad, "don't be cheeky" was always his first warning; then came the slap--he grew up into a bully, of course), and "chee" is basically "ooga-booga," and it's all just a mess.

Cheeky and Chee are two mischievous little monkeys who wander a little too far. They leap up a tree where they spot a predator. They must make a run for it. Cheeky and Chee jump out of the tree and leap to safety in a new tree. This book is written in rhyme and is abundant with word repetition. The hand drawn illustrations are softly done with pastel colors, which add depth to this story. This book can easily be adapted to teach inferring, repetition, and fluency in the classroom!

Two little monkeys hide and jump around a tree to stay away from an unknown predator. I did find myself wondering who the predator was. It made me a little bit annoyed and I wondered if that would make kids nervous...

Bright colors and repetition do make it a little fun and a good pick for story time.

Two little monkeys hide and jump around a tree to stay away from an unknown predator. I did find myself wondering who the predator was. It made me a little bit annoyed and I wondered if that would make kids nervous...

Bright colors and repetition do make it a little fun and a good pick for story time.

Two little monkeys hide and jump around a tree to stay away from an unknown predator. I did find myself wondering who the predator was. It made me a little bit annoyed and I wondered if that would make kids nervous...

Bright colors and repetition do make it a little fun and a good pick for story time.

Two little monkeys hide and jump around a tree to stay away from an unknown predator. I did find myself wondering who the predator was. It made me a little bit annoyed and I wondered if that would make kids nervous...

Bright colors and repetition do make it a little fun and a good pick for story time.