Picture Books by Eileen Christelow

When I first read my dummy of Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed to a group of kindergartners, I was astounded! They took over the 'reading'-all I had to do was turn the pages. Teachers tell me they like the monkey books because there is repetition and predictability. They are easy to read for beginning readers as well as 'not-quite' readers. The following is a collection of suggestions from teachers for ways to use 'the monkey books' in the classroom.

Math Skills:

5-1=4, 4-1=3, 3-1=2, etc.
The two rhymes, Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed and Five Little Monkeys Sitting in the Tree are good to use when discussing the take-away model of subtraction. The events in the story are predictable as are the number patterns: 5-1=4, 4-1=3

Does 3+3+3=3? No way!
Young readers also need to be on their mathematical toes when they read Don't Wake Up Mama! When the monkeys bake a birthday cake for Mama, the recipe calls for three teaspoons of baking powder. If children look at the illustrations, they will notice that three little monkeys each measure three teaspoons of baking powder. The problem is compounded when the monkeys each get eggs for the cake.

2+3=5 and 3+1+1=5
Five Little Monkeys Wash the Car offers a chance to discuss the combinations of numbers that add up to five. When the monkeys wash the car, two little monkeys spray, three little monkeys scrub.
(2+3=5). When they push the car, three little monkeys push, one little monkey steers, one little monkey directs (3+1+1=5). (Note this book will be available in Spring, 2000)

Mix Science with Cooking:

Bake a cake and discuss why we put baking powder and eggs into cakes.

Repetition and Prediction:

All of the monkey books utilize repetition. "We're bored. There is nothing to do!" say the five little monkeys, time and again in Five Little Monkeys With Nothing To Do. "Oh yes there is,!" Mama always replies.
What will Mama think of for the monkeys to do? Can students guess when they look at the picture on the cover?
The house becomes neater and neater. Is it going to stay that way? Have students make a prediction based on what they know about the monkeys' personalities. How is the story going to end?

Monkey Plays and Puppet Shows:

Many teachers tell me they find the monkey books are easy to produce as plays or puppet shows for beginning actors. And of course, . . . Sitting in the Tree and . . . Jumping on the Bed are wonderful finger play rhymes.

Writing:

After reading the monkey books, discuss the monkey's personalities. Are they funny? brave? naughty? loving? As a group, brainstorm a story about the monkeys. Example: What would happen on their first day at school if they were all in the same classroom?

Compare and Contrast:

One advantage to reading several books about the same characters is that you can discuss with students things they find in the books that are the same or different. Example: Which monkey books does Mama sleep through? In which stories are the monkeys trying to be helpful? Older students could do Venn diagrams of the similarities.