Age 00-04. 4 Stars. Another of the Reys’ gleeful books of monkey business… appropriate for preschool through elementary school ages.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. This is another of the Reys’ wonderful George series. In this story, George goes from one adventure to another… this book (while not a critical part of a home library) is certainly an enjoyable read

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. This Curious George book is different from the rest of the series… this is really an alphabet lesson disguised as a story, and might not be a big hit with children who aren’t ready to learn the alphabet… While this book shouldn’t be the primary introduction to the letters of the alphabet, it is an excellent supplement for an alphabet lesson, especially for children who have enjoyed the other Curious George books.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. George’s mischievous, adventurous approach to life (balanced by his friend’s comforting and steadying presence) has made him popular with generations of children since the first book was published in 1941…. while children will enjoy the vicarious thrill of watching George’s antics, they have no trouble understanding that his often-foolish actions are inappropriate for themselves. If anything, he provides an example of how not to act.

Age 00-04. 4 Stars. Good Night Gorilla is a charming, nearly-wordless book about a gorilla living in a zoo… Children will enjoy the absurdity of animals trooping into a human house, and delight in being “in the know” about the gorilla’s secret plan. As in the Curious George books, children may vicariously enjoy the gorilla’s mischievous actions, then enjoy his warm feeling of security as he happily falls asleep between the husband and wife who care for him.

Age 04-08. 4 Stars. Young children have adored the Curious George books since the first one was published in the 1940s, and their popularity remains undiminished in our household. George is a monkey from the Amazon who was captured and brought home by the Man in the Yellow Hat. George happily settles into domestic life, but remains a mischievous monkey who constantly got into trouble, usually by failing to follow instructions from humans…. In this story, George’s troubles begin when the Man with the Yellow Hat leaves him at home, admonishing him not to get into trouble; George receives a letter which he cannot read; then he attempts to write a letter, spills the ink, fills the room with soap and water in an attempt to clean it up, then makes off for the country to swipe a pump to empty the room. He releases a herd of pigs and steals a cow to tow the pump away, then flees the farmers by stowing away on a pickup truck headed for the museum. There he wrecks a dinosaur exhibit and is about to be carted off to the dreaded zoo when the Man with the Yellow hat arrives to explain everything. It turns out the director of the museum is the author of the letter that began George’s troubles, and the letter invites him to become the first monkey to go into space. George agrees, all is forgiven, and he receives a medal for his courageous participation in the space program.

Age 00-04. 4 Stars. In this book a boy goes to the park with his pet dog and frog, leaves the frog alond to find whatever trouble he can. The frog flicks out his tongue to catch an insect, which turns out to be a bee. He disturbs a young couple’s picnic, sinks a young boy’s toy boat (retrieved by his annoyed mother), and joins a baby in its crib (swiping a sip of its bottle). This is a kind of visual comedy perfect for young children, and simple enough that after a parent helps with interpretation the first time, it may be fully enjoyed alone.

Age 00-04. 2 Stars. In this episode, the boy and his family are going to dinner at a fancy restaurant. The frog stows away in the boy’s pocket, and while the family is ordering jumps out and begins to wreak havoc among the other diners…. His lack of penitence at having caused his family such trouble might be concerning to some parents, and the parental anger is far more concerning… However, this lighthearted fantasy portrays a bit of real human nature, allowing children to think about what different people are feeling in different scenes. It also provides an example of what not to do in a restaurant, and might actually be a means of preparing a young reader for the experience…. This is a funny library checkout but probably shouldn’t live on the free-reading shelf.