What is different about Mama in this story, compared to the other monkey stories?

Is there a new character in this book? Who?

Who do you think Mama is going dancing with? Papa monkey? A friend?

(One of the problems I confront when writing the monkey books is THERE ARE SO MANY CHARACTERS! There are five little monkeys on every page and then I have to find room in the story for the adults. Usually, I get Mama out of the way by having her take a nap. So I’ve never introduced Papa. Where is he? At the office? A traveling salesman? Are they divorced? I don’t know!)
 

Questions for students:

Babysitters:

• How many of you have a babysitter?
• Describe your babysitter. What does he/she look like? How old?
• Do you like your babysitter? Why?
• Do you think Lulu will want to babysit the monkeys again?

 
Hide-and-Seek:

• Do you like to play Hide-and-Seek?
• Where are your favorite hiding places?

 
Counting:

What numbers does Lulu have to count up to? (Let your students do the counting when you read the book.)

Can you count up to 10? 24? 104?
 

Babysitter stories:

 Draw a picture of your babysitter.

Write a story about your babysitter.

 
Or:

Draw a picture of Lulu.

Write a story about what happens when Mama asks her to babysit again.

 

Rhyming words:

Predict the rhyming words.

For instance on page 12:

 

“Okay,” sighs Lulu.

She’s counted to four

when those monkeys start sneaking

right out the. . . (guess the word)

 

© Eileen Christelow