The Monkey and the Crocodile

Rating:
Summary: Great for ages about 2 to 4
Review: I've repeatedly read this book to my three-year-old granddaughter since she was two. When she visits us, it's one of the first two books that she asks for. (The other is the Goblin Story from Else Holmelund Minarik's "Little Bear's Visit.")

When she was two, she mainly liked the excitement of the "scary" crocodile. Now she enjoys the tricks that the crocodile and monkey play on each other. Also, this is a fun book to read aloud. You can easily add even more interest for your little one.

Rating:
Summary: a favorite tale
Review: That clever monkey has done it again. This book has pleasant illustrations and is a favorite of mine and my children.

Rating:
Summary: The clever monkey
Review: Title: The Monkey and the Crocodile
Author: Paul Galdone
Favorite Characters: the Crocodiles

This story shows which is smarter of the two, the Monkey or the Crocodile. One of the crocodiles decided that he wanted to eat a monkey. The other crocodiles said that it could not be done, but the crocodile would not listen to them. The crocodile choose one of the monkeys and trick him into coming into the water. It worked, but the monkey tricked him back and got safely to shore. The story goes on like this with the crocodile luring the monkey into a trap and the monkey getting out safely.
Near the end, the monkey gets trapped on an island because the crocodile is in the way of the path. You'll never guess how the monkey solves his problem. Figure it out by reading this book...

Rating:
Summary: Crocodile oh my croc croc croc
Review: You may have heard this story at some point in your past and you have merely forgotten it. For me, reading "The Monkey and the Crocodile" was particularly eerie. I felt as if I had read this story in some slightly altered form not too long ago. It was only when I recalled that this tale is told in Katherine Paterson's, "Of Nightingales That Weep", that I realized where I'd heard it before. Truth be told, the tale is much older than even that. Based on a Jataka tale from India, the story is (according to its Library of Congress heading), "A retelling of one of the Indian fables relating to the former births of Buddha in which as a monkey he manages to outwit the crocodile who decides to capture him". No real mention of Buddha is made in this story, however, so it is left up to the reader to make such a connection on his or her own.

When a crafty crocodile sets his sights on a tasty monkey in the trees, he tries a variety of methods to eat the furry primate. Each time, however, the cheeky monkey finds a way to get around being eaten. In the end, the crocodile admits defeat. "Monkey, I thought I was cunning, but you are much more cunning than I. And you know no fear. I will leave you alone after this". The monkey accepts the crocodile's compliment but makes it quite clear that he will be watching out for the crocodile anyway. The story, being a classic, is good. Unfortunately, Paul Galdone's illustrations do not live up to the tale. Though the crocodiles are particularly fun to look at, the monkeys are not very well drawn. You can feel a threat emanating from the pictures of the slick green reptiles, whereas the monkeys are rather cartoonish and sloppily illustrated. While a good story, a better illustrator could take this tale to an entirely different level. On the whole, it's a pity the book hasn't better pictures. But for an excellent collection of mean looking crocs, go no further than this.

Rating:
Summary: Crocodile oh my croc croc croc
Review: You may have heard this story at some point in your past and you have merely forgotten it. For me, reading "The Monkey and the Crocodile" was particularly eerie. I felt as if I had read this story in some slightly altered form not too long ago. It was only when I recalled that this tale is told in Katherine Paterson's, "Of Nightingales That Weep", that I realized where I'd heard it before. Truth be told, the tale is much older than even that. Based on a Jataka tale from India, the story is (according to its Library of Congress heading), "A retelling of one of the Indian fables relating to the former births of Buddha in which as a monkey he manages to outwit the crocodile who decides to capture him". No real mention of Buddha is made in this story, however, so it is left up to the reader to make such a connection on his or her own.

When a crafty crocodile sets his sights on a tasty monkey in the trees, he tries a variety of methods to eat the furry primate. Each time, however, the cheeky monkey finds a way to get around being eaten. In the end, the crocodile admits defeat. "Monkey, I thought I was cunning, but you are much more cunning than I. And you know no fear. I will leave you alone after this". The monkey accepts the crocodile's compliment but makes it quite clear that he will be watching out for the crocodile anyway. The story, being a classic, is good. Unfortunately, Paul Galdone's illustrations do not live up to the tale. Though the crocodiles are particularly fun to look at, the monkeys are not very well drawn. You can feel a threat emanating from the pictures of the slick green reptiles, whereas the monkeys are rather cartoonish and sloppily illustrated. While a good story, a better illustrator could take this tale to an entirely different level. On the whole, it's a pity the book hasn't better pictures. But for an excellent collection of mean looking crocs, go no further than this.