So Say The Little Monkeys by Nancy Van Laan, illustrated by Yumi Heo

So Say the Little Monkeys is a retelling of a Brazilian folk tale that explains why "blackmouth" monkeys do not make homes, and instead live in thorny palm trees. This is a fun read aloud book, because of the use of lots of repetitious sounds such as "jibba, jibba, jabba". This is the story of a group of monkeys who would rather play all day than work. Yumi Heo's illustrations are simplistic, yet full of colorful detail at the same time. This is a great read for those who enjoy folk tales from around the world.

Ages: 3 to 7
Keywords: Folk Tales, Brazil, Monkeys, Work, Play

Lesson Plan Idea: Write your own folk tale that explains why your favorite animal lives where it does.

Note: I usually include a link to the books I review at Powell's Books, but they did not have this particular book in stock.