Jenkins, Steve. (2009). Never Smile at a Monkey* and 17 Other Important Things to Remember. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 9780618966202.
Summary:
This book takes a look at seemingly innocent acts that become dangerous when certain actions are done in their presence. Never Smile at a Monkey highlights acts to avoid when face-to-face with 18 different animals.
Critical Analysis:
When first looking at the outside of the outside of the book, I found myself very shocked by the ferocious image of the rhesus monkey on the back cover. Inside the book you find 18 animals throughout the pages each with a command. "Never clutch a cane toad" or "Never touch a tang" are examples of the commands given throughout the book. Each animal also has an explanation of the command. This information text is a perfect book for 1st - 3rd grade. The illustrations are colorful and detailed. Again, I was surprised by the photo on the back cover of the book! Regarding accuracy, the text is correct to my knowledge. There were no sources cited.
The author uses alliteration on almost every page. For example, "Never harass an hippopotamus." or "Never cuddle a cub." The illustrations are realistic and detailed. The only picture that really startled me was the illustration on the back cover. In the back of the book you will find bonus information on each of the 18 animals talked about in the book. Readers can learn more about a particular animal they are interested in or use the book in a mini-research project. The book is comical in some sense, but practical at the same time.
Awards & Reviews:
Society of Illustrators Original Art Show
Junior Library Guild Fall 2009 Selection
NDLA Flicker Tale Children's Book Award 2011
The Original Art Show 2010
2010-2011 Horned Toad Tales List
"Steve Jenkins taps into the faux pas of the natural world giving us his standard cut paper lusciousness alongside a text that is funny, furious, and furry all at once." -Review of the Day at School Library Journal by Elizabeth Bird
"Eighteen alliterative rules showcase the dangerous defense mechanisms of animals found in the wild. ....... Another stunning environmental lesson from an aficionado of animal behavior." -Kirkus
Connections:
*Language Arts: Study alliteration using the text. Find different examples of literary devices in the book.
*Art: Use different mediums to illustrate one page/animal/action from the book.
*Science: Use this as a reference when studying sea life (fish, shells and stingrays are all in the book)
*Author Study: Other books by Steve Jenkins - Actual Size, Bones, How to Clean a Hippopotamus. For full list see http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com/books.html.
*Use the book to introduce animals before going on a field trip to the zoo OR create an in-class "field trip" through the zoo discussing each of these animals and the dangers they may present.
Sources:
School Library Journal. "Review of the Day: Never Smile at a Monkey by Steve Jenkins." Posted by Elizabeth Bird on September 21, 2009. http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/2009/09/21/review-of-the-day-never-smile-at-a-monkey-by-steve-jenkins/
Steve Jenkins Books. "Books." Accessed on March 29, 2012. http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com/books.html
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