Grumpy Monkey Don't Be Scared: Includes Scary Stickers

Grumpy Monkey #9

by Suzanne Lang, Max Lang (Illustrator)

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Grumpy Monkey and his jungle friends are trick-or-treating on Halloween amid strange noises and mysterious smells. Along the way, they are reminded that nothing can be scarier than returning home with no treats. Two pages of full-color stickers are included for extra fun!

On the spookiest night of the year, Jim Panzee and his jungle friends brave the dark to collect treats. Not only does the jungle look different at night, it sounds different. What’s that knock-knock-knock and that HAHA HAHA HAHA ? And the smell? PEE-YEW! “Don’t be scared,” they tell Jim. But then two glowing eyes flash overhead, and looking for treats is almost abandoned.

Halloween in the jungle can be even scarier than trick-or-treating in your own neighborhood.

Genres: Picture Books, Halloween, Animals, Childrens, Humor, Holiday, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published July 11, 2023

Reviews

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grumpy Monkey never disappoints! It's Halloween and Jim, Norman, and their friends head out into the dark jungle to trick or treat, even though they are all afraid of the dark. Though of course they do not admit that, repeatedly saying "I'm not Scared". Needless to say their are scary noises and eyes and all kinds of things, but in the end, they make new friends, learn how to see past their fear and have a wonderful time. P.S. I do hope the polecat (think skunk) shows up in the future.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

We received this book today and in less than an hour I read it twice to my son. He loves it and I like it too. The illustrations are beautiful and It shows kids that it’s ok to feel scared sometimes and more importantly, it shows the support that Jim’s friends gave him when he was scared.

[Douglas Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very torn when writing this review. The original "Grumpy Monkey" is fabulous. "Party Time" and "Up All Night" are great. Valentine's Gross Out went a weird direction for the series, and Don't Be Scared took that direction further and disappointed me quite a bit.

What drew me to Grumpy Monkey was the positive spin on difficult emotions for young kids. Being grumpy is hard, but we all feel grumpy, that's okay, and it will pass. That's a great lesson and theme for small kids. With Don't Be Scared, there is no lesson. There is, however, an introduction to butts and farts, for seemingly no reason.

Don't get me wrong, butts and farts are funny (I'm a guy in my late 30s and they're still funny), but they seemed shoehorned in for no reason and felt so out of place. Jim didn't learn anything, Norman didn't teach anything, the focus was just on treats and stinky smells.

This is a highly disappointing story spawned from one of my favorite stories, making it even more disappointing. I wanted to give it 2 stars, but it is still a high quality and beautiful book. It's a fine story, I suppose, but it doesn't feel like Grumpy Monkey and I certainly wasn't expecting the story I ended up reading to my son.

I am hoping that "Yuck," coming out in October, is more in line with what I've been used to, but based on the direction "Don't Be Scared" took, I won't be pre-ordering, as I will want to pre-read it first.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love to see Aye-Ayes in books! This is a fun for Halloween read aloud, best enjoyed by fans of other Grumpy Monkey books.

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Polecats do not inhabit jungles. . .

[Vi Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great read during Halloween. It follows a monkey named Jim and his friends going out trick-or-treating; however, many different things happen during their adventure which causes Jim and his gang to become scared. Their adventure takes place in the forest, but the forest looks different at night, so they all put on a brave face and decide to do some trick-or-treating. However, every time Jim heard, smelt, felt, or saw something that scared him; he would act like it was not scaring him. In reality he was scared of every noise, the dark, and the smells. Till he couldn't take it anymore when someone screamed because they got scared too. The animal that screamed was scared and because of that Jim and his friends became friends when they were able to get some yummy treats during their adventure. This book illustrates that it is okay to be scared in certain situations.

This book relates back to one of our readings from Heyman and Short Sleeve’s work on Nonsense. The words do not really show much nonsense but they do use personification. Using animals and giving them human-like traits of fear and behavior. These animals in the wild would probably not be friends in real life but in this book it shows us that they are civil. This book also has many picturebook codes, showing the different perspectives with the character being in the bottom half of the page showing us that the character might be heading into danger.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It looks as though there will be a Grumpy Monkey for every holiday. In this, the seventh book in the title, Jim Panzee [the Grumpy Monkey of the book's title] is in search of treats on Halloween night. But the familiar jungle terrain looks and sounds very different in the dark. Although Jim insists that he isn't scared as he and his friends move through the trees and bushes, various sights and sounds make all of them a bit nervous. Jim finally admits to his fears after he sees two large glowing eyes, but as it turns out, those eyes belong to a creature who is just as frightened by Jim and his crew as Jim is of it. But there is one animal who causes everyone to flee, leaving all their loot behind them, simply by arriving on the scene with his own distinctive scent. Young readers will appreciate the way suspense builds in this simple story but also enjoy the humorous bits. And perhaps it is wise to be a little cautious when it comes to certain animals and their territory.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Panzee (aka Grumpy Monkey) is going out on Halloween to trick or treat with his buddies. But this is a very different trick or treating scenario. First - no costumes. Second - they are in the jungle. So lots of different sounds and smells greet them as they venture out into the night. Knocking, screeching, laughing, and oh so stinky! What animals could be creating those sounds and smells? Jim keeps insisting he is not scared but eventually even he has to admit that he IS scared! Fortunately, he has his friends. And all the things that seem fearful are really just other animals doing their nocturnal thing in the jungle.

This is a very different take on a Halloween story! It's also a bit scary and off beat so read this one first before sharing it with your favorite Halloween/Grumpy Monkey loving kid.

[Read Ribbet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grumpy Monkey is back in this latest book Don't Be Scared by Suzanne Lang. The book has Jim Panzee and his friends out in the jungle on Halloween. While in quest of treats and talking a big game about not being scared, a number of encounters scare the animals. Readers will love the embedded large noise words and dialogue throughout the story. Max Lang's engaging illustrations will invite readers to figure out what is scaring the animals before turning the page to the reveal the answer. Young readers will especially like the ending and seeing who ends up with all the treats. The book comes with two pages of scary stickers.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars ( I liked it)

This is a cute Halloween book because the characters learn that it is okay to be scared and also that sometimes it can be fun to be scared.

It threw me off that some of the animals have human names (Jim, Leslie, Norman) but then other animals are just the name of their animal (Porcupine, Polecat, Aye-Aye).

[LaTanya Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a laugh out loud book that will make every child you read to or every child that reads it want to read it again and again. The pictures were colorful and entertaining. The storyline was quirky and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I recommend it to be read to Kindergarten-1st graders and to be read alone by 2nd-4th graders.

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book of scary and funny scenes with Jim the monkey and his friends. The illustrations are well-crafted and expressive. Kids will laugh out loud while. reading or listening to this fun tale. Highly recommended for Grades K-2.

[Ryann Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

My kids love this series and of course they liked a Halloween themed story about Jim. They enjoyed the stinky smell portion of the book. And they got to learn about an animal they had never heard of before.

[Christy Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Needed one more book so borrowed from libby. It was cute and besides pooecat being rude I enjoyed it. Illustrations were great.

Jim Panzee and his animal friends go trick or treating and things spook them along the way.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful book!
- I bought this book because I loved the art style, what can I say, I am an artist.
- I loved it so much that I gave it to my little brother Jake. I hope he enjoys it as much as I did :)

[Awjtf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny Halloween book!

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

HILLLLLLLARIOUS! Plus, it's a nice message about how everyone is scared sometimes. (And it mentions farts, so you can't go wrong!)

[Mae Dexter · Rating 5 out of 5]

We love Grumpy Monkey in this house. Jim and his pals are trick or treating in the jungle and scares happen...but they learn to get over their fears and enjoy the night.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this addition to the series to be a little bizarre and didn't love all the "potty" humor.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't like Grumpy Monkey?!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jim and the gang encounter some scary animals out on Halloween night.

[DebbieG · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one made me laugh out loud. My favorite Grumpy Monkey so far.

[Wilhelm Eriksson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute book, great way to let kids that everyone gets scared sometimes and that's ok.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the surprises I'm this one- aardvark tongue, pole cat stink, and of course the aye-aye in the tree.

[Silas M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book, it’s so funny! I love Jim Panzee and all of his other friends.💙

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is a cute one for Halloween season to talk through emotions, especially feeling anxious/scared and how to help normalize these feelings

[Mo · Rating 2 out of 5]

It showed the hyena eating dead meat off a ribcage with flies around it!

[I'm Cloud · Rating 5 out of 5]

So scary!!

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jim Panzee and his friends brave the dark jungle on the spookiest night of the year in search of treats. The sounds of the night put a scare in the friends, but they are determined to gather some free treats before the night is over.