Mem Fox is an educator and international literacy expert, and her many acclaimed picture books for young children include Yoo-Hoo, Ladybug!; Hello Baby!; Baby Bedtime; I'm an Immigrant Too; the bestselling modern classics Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes and Time for Bed; and, for adults, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever. She lives in Adelaide, Australia. Visit her at MemFox.com.
Jill Barton is the illustrator of many books, including Grape Zoo, The Pig in the Pond (which was highly commended for the Kate Greenaway Medal and shortlisted for the Sheffield Children's Book Award), In the Rain with Baby Duck (which won the Boston Globe Horn Book Award) and Rattletrap Car (which was highly commended for the 2002 Sheffield Children's Book Award.) Jill is now a grandmother and lives in Devon.
"Aping the format of the classic nursery rhyme "Two Little Dickie
Birds," Fox's variation features two small monkeys "playing near a
tree, / one named Cheeky, / one named Chee."... The repetition,
lively meter, and ample drama in Fox's (Let's Count Goats!) verse
will easily keep young readers' attention at storytime. Barton's
(The Ring Went Zing!) grey long-limbed monkeys have a decidedly
toddlerlike resemblance, their faces readily transmitting their
glee and fear at various points in the story...readers will still
have a good sense of what's at stake in this bit of animal-kingdom
drama." --Publishers Weekly, March 12, 2012
* "Irresistible rhythm, adorable monkeys and pitch-perfect rhyme
make this a must-have for the preschool set.... Barton's soft
watercolors, in purple, gray and tan, are both captivating and
comforting--never will readers actually fear for Cheeky and Chee's
safety...ideal for frequent rereading. The easy rhythm and rhyme
will allow lap listeners to chant along while they memorize this
one. Look for little humans to add this to their play repertoire."
--Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2012 *STAR
"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 preschoolers. Expect to see
lots of Cheekys and Chees monkeying around after story hour."
--Horn Book Magazine, July/August 2012
"Mem Fox has produced another story in rhyme that will encourage
language development among even the youngest of readers.... The
repetition of certain words and phrases contributes to the
accessibility of this story, and young children will chime in....
Barton's art captures mischievous grins on the little monkeys,
which gives them an anthropomorphic presence. This jaunty adventure
must be added to the Fox bibliography." --Library Media Connection,
Recommended
"This playful picture book told in rhyme invites youngsters to
explore language through repetition and active sight clues.... The
crisp, succinct text is carefully crafted with a few lines on each
page, making it perfect for young audiences with short attention
spans. The fresh watercolors predominantly done in light blues,
greens, oranges, and browns provide the feel of the savanna on a
hot day. The facial expressions on the monkeys radiate happiness
through their eyes and mouths, or fear as they hold each other
close in the treetop camouflaged from the scary jaguar. Tailor-made
for one-on-one reading and group sharing." --School Library
Journal, June 2012
"This simple, rhythmic book from the creator of the beloved Ten
Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes (2008) tells a brief tale about
monkey buddies Cheeky and Chee, who must escape from a lurking
leopard by climbing into a tree.... Soft watercolors show the young
monkeys in their leafy environment, with facial expressions and
positioning just like those of young kids playing hide-and-seek.
With just enough danger to create drama, this isn't too scary and
the resolution is cheery: Cheeky and Chee at last relax among the
branches, eating fruit from the sheltering tree." --Booklist, March
15, 2012
PreS-K-This playful picture book told in rhyme invites youngsters to explore language through repetition and active sight clues. Cheeky and Chee are cavorting around a tree when they notice a jaguar prowling in the grass. They scurry up the branches and hide in the leaves, and cleverly find a way to escape the danger. The crisp, succinct text is carefully crafted with a few lines on each page, making it perfect for young audiences with short attention spans. The fresh watercolors predominantly done in light blues, greens, oranges, and browns provide the feel of the savanna on a hot day. The facial expressions on the monkeys radiate happiness through their eyes and mouths, or fear as they hold each other close in the treetop camouflaged from the scary jaguar. Tailor-made for one-on-one reading and group sharing.-Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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