Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree (Read-aloud)

Five Little Monkeys

by Eileen Christelow

"Brightly colored, cartoon-style artwork, done in mixed media, spread across wide pages, (captures) the antics of the mischievous critters, whose colorful garb makes them easy to spot as they hide in the foliage of the big old tree."--ALA "Booklist."

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Animals, Counting, Fiction, Storytime, Mathematics

32 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 18, 1991

About the author

Eileen Christelow is an acclaimed American author and illustrator of children’s books, best known for her beloved Five Little Monkeys series. Beginning with Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, a playful retelling of the classic nursery rhyme, the series has captivated generations of young readers with its humor and rhythmic storytelling. Over the course of her career, Christelow has published more than 30 books, encompassing both fiction and nonfiction, and many inspired by her surroundings in Vermont, her family life, and even her dog, Emma.
Born in Washington, D.C. in 1943, Christelow spent her formative years in Connecticut and briefly in Japan, where she attended the American School in Tokyo. She studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, a discipline that would influence her later work in design and illustration. After working for several years as a freelance photographer, she turned her focus to writing and illustrating picture books while raising her daughter in California. Her earliest works, Henry and the Red Stripes and Mr. Murphy’s Marvelous Invention, were published by Clarion Books in the early 1980s.
Christelow’s books often celebrate storytelling, curiosity, and mischief, appealing to children and educators alike. Titles like What Do Authors Do?, What Do Illustrators Do?, and Vote! provide engaging nonfiction content for young readers, while others such as Letters From a Desperate Dog and The Great Pig Escape draw on humorous real-life scenarios. Her works have received numerous accolades and several Five Little Monkeys titles have been translated into Spanish and Chinese.
She continues to live and work in East Dummerston, Vermont, in a home designed by her husband, where she draws inspiration from the natural beauty of the state. Christelow remains a cherished voice in children’s literature, with a lasting legacy of entertaining and educating young readers.

Reviews

[LaDonna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eileen Christelow had me a few paces in. I kept wondering how the story was going to end. It was definitely a twist on the story I knew. Plus, Christelow's illustrations add to the twists and turns within the story. Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree will teach your young student about more than just Math. Check it out for yourself.

[Rod Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eileen Christelow adapts the traditional children's rhyme and sidesteps the gruesome tally of deaths by alligator implicit in the original but still manages to cruelly torture the monkeys' mother in the process. I can see kids having fun figuring out how the trick works and spotting monkeys hidden throughout the book, but again I just feel so bad for the mother who is made the butt of the joke.

Also, in recent years, there has been some pushback against this particular nursery rhyme due to its racist origins and ties to a practice called alligator baiting. There is some debate over whether Black children were actually used by white hunters as bait to draw alligators out of the swamp, but there is no doubting that it became a racist trope played for laughs in media like postcards and songs. For more details on this topic, check out these links:
https://www.snopes.com/news/2017/06/0...
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2010/08...

[Emily]

When Aiden specifically asks for a book, you know it's good.

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eileen Christelow, Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree (Clarion, 1991)

Amusing, if lightweight, little book that undercuts its message in hopes of becoming a series. (It did, and an exceptionally popular one, at that.) A good one for reading to the kids if you like playing it up; this one would definitely be better sung than simply read. ***

[Rebecca Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic baby book with a counting theme and a cute, funny subject that most kids are familiar with (jumping on the bed). This would be a great baby rhyme time book, you could even do a lap bounce with it.

[Jeremy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strange that all through the book, the author made sure to show that the crocodile wasn't really eating the monkeys, and at the end, mother scolds them for teasing Mr. Crocodile . . . and then the final page has the monkeys feeding the crocodile cake.

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man do kids ever like it when those monkeys get snapped out of the tree. I like to "act this out" with a crocodile puppet and let five volunteers be the monkeys when sharing this with groups.

[Marilyn Gallmann]

While their mother takes a nap, five mischievous monkeys discover that it is unwise to tease Mr. Crocodile.

Number words (five, four, three, two, one)
second page: spreads, blanket, settles, snooze
third page: while, Mr. Crocodile
fourth/fifth page, repetition: tease Mr. Crocodile, "Can't catch me!" Along comes Mr. Crocodile....Snap!
she/he
Now there's only one
But, wait! (a command)
pg. 28 scolds, never, nice, dangerous
pg. 31 delicious (adjective)

Writing:
Decide on another silly scenario for the five little monkeys and mama.
ex. Five little monkeys and their mama walk down to the frozen lake. Mama tells them to sit on the bench and wait. She goes back to get their skates....while five little monkeys go walking on the ice. SLIP! One slides away! Where is she? Four little monkeys go walking on the ice. Slip! One slides away! Where is he? ....Mama comes back with the skates. "Where are my little monkeys?" she cries. Giggle, giggle comes from across the lake. Mama looks and sees five little monkeys stuck in the snow. "Now come back here and get your skates," says their mama. Then, five little monkeys and their mama skate on the ice all day.

[Nicole Lee]

This book is about five little monkeys who go on a picnic with their mother and learn a lesson after making fun of crocodile. Right before a monkey disappears, in the illustration the author includes an onomatopoeia of the crocodile “snapping” away a monkey. The color of the “SNAP!” foreshadows which monkey will disappear on the following page because the color matches the clothes of a monkey. The illustrator subtly shows the “missing” monkeys are actually up in the tree. In the story, the monkeys are taught a life lesson that they should not make fun of others and re-treat the crocodile with kindness by sharing some of their picnic food.

[Elle Markov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally I don’t see the appeal of the Five Little Monkeys, I personally find every story repetitive and lacking in imagination. However, young readers love them. The sentences are simple enough that when they are learning to read they can put their skills to practice.

In this little adventure, the monkeys are sitting in a tree teasing an alligator. Personally I was rooting for the alligator to eat those annoying little monkeys.

Rating 3 out of 5
Read@Book

[Paola Mercado · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my childhood favorites! It’s a pattern story about 5 little troublemaking monkeys who enjoy messing with Mr. Crocodile. I really enjoyed how at the end their mother scolds them about how dangerous it can be and after what occurs they really do learn their lesson. I think it would be a great book for young readers such as Preschool to 2nd grade and would be perfect when learning about patterns or even how to count 1 through 5.

[Lea Chavez · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good but it doesn't say KISSING Cause you know how it says Someone in someone sitting in the tree KISSING 1st comes marriage thing comes love then comes a baby in a baby carriage when there is a baby cricket alcohol Ben there's a baby Playing basket ballet with him!.? I was going back on the last two weeks ago and it wasn't the same thing what is

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five little monkeys go on a picnic by the river with their mama. While their mama rests, the five little monkeys sit in a tree and tease a crocodile in the water, then … SNAP! Each time they tease, the crocodile snaps, and a monkey disappears. Surprise funny ending. Great illustrations. A CD is included with the story being read so that the reader can follow along.

[Sarah Niemi]

I had not realized that the Five Little Monkeys had multiple books. I had only heard of the FIve Litte Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, so it was interesting to hear the format being used in a new scenario. I really enjoyed the book and I would include it in my classroom library.

[Christy Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this because always heard the rhyme of 5 monkeys jumping on the bed. Neighbor gave this for my nephew and needed read it.

5 monkeys teasing a crocodile and making seem as if they falling in water. Was cute and they learn lesson too.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five Little Monkeys go on a picnic, and while mama naps, the Monkeys climb a tree over, looking a river and decide to tease a crocodile. A very valuable and dangerous lesson is learned by The Five Little Monkeys.

[Jenn S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A creative rendition of the classic children’s song. This story follows the 5 little monkeys on a picnic when they start to pick on a crocodile. My 5 year old enjoyed the story and thought the ending was very funny! The illustrations are whimsical and fun.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel sorry for the crocodile who gets teased all the time. I also don't like the danger in this book. But I understand it is a classic. And towards the end of the book the monkeys are taught some good lessons.

[Lynnette · Rating 4 out of 5]

probably one of the better five Little monkey books. follows the formula a lot closer to the jumping on the bed one. and even though it seems scary, I feel like she left enough clues in the illustration that your kid wouldn't have to be super scared by it.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute to read to little kids.

[Awjtf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the five little monkeys!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five Little Monkeys Sitting in a Tree (Board Book)
by Eileen Christelow
learning not to tease others, and play safely, using the nursery rhyme.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 4 year old loves this book! Wants to read it over and over again! So I've read it more than once ;-)
Great book for counting and subtracting practice for toddlers.

[Milton Louie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t tease a crocodile. B

[Briana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy reading this book with students. It's a fun book to act out with children. If you're acting it out with a child, you can practice subtraction/'one less than'.

[Haaley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a classic- maybe not as well known as monkeys jumping on the bed. But still fun!

[Paola Nunez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very fun to read. Its illustrations are very detailed and colorful. I like its repetition of words and how it involves counting.

[Tyler · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The irrepressible crew from Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed returns in this version of a traditional hand rhyme . . . the familiar chant tells of five foolish monkeys who are eaten when they.

[Ethan & Isaac · Rating 4 out of 5]

TWIST!

[Dylan Mx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dylan also loves this book. Her favorite part is reading out the letters of the alligators “SNAP!” Not sure she really understands that the monkeys weren’t eaten and reappeared.