Maybe...

by Chris Haughton (Author) Chris Haughton (Illustrator)

Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
A trio of misbehaving, mango-loving monkeys have a close call as the creator of Don't Worry, Little Crab gives readers a taste of vicarious mischief. Three little monkeys and their big monkey are sitting high on a branch in the forest canopy. "OK, monkeys! I'm off," says the big monkey. "Remember . . . Whatever you do, do NOT go down to the mango tree. There are tigers down there." Mmm . . . mangoes! think the little monkeys. They LOVE mangoes. Hmm . . . Maybe . . . maybe they could just look at the mangoes. That would be OK, right? With vivid colors, bold shapes, and his trademark visual humor, Chris Haughton is back with a deliciously suspenseful cautionary tale about pushing boundaries--and indulging your more impish side (when nobody is looking).
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Kirkus

The book's suspense is built with careful pacing and the repetition of particular words. . . An impish adventure.

None

Starred Review
Perfect for group sharing. . . . Haughton's skilled use of color, composition, and page-turns heightens the drama.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2--Three mischievous blue monkeys are warned to stay away from the mango tree--that's where the tigers live. But their curiosity is piqued--they simply must go to the mango tree! Tigers chase the monkeys away, and they scamper back up their home tree to safety. The text is pleasingly repetitive and the illustrations provide humorous visuals to keep readers poring over the pages. "No tigers here!" the monkeys cheer, but sharp-eyed little ones will spot the striped felines lurking in the bushes. Haughton's artwork is even more bold here than in past titles. The characters have no outlines, but their colors are carefully chosen so that they stand out or blend into the environment as appropriate.The monkeys are composed of cool indigo, blue, and green tones; the tigers in shadow are purple to blend in with the magenta backdrop. When the fierce beasts emerge, the oranges and yellows clash brilliantly with the purple environment, creating a strong sense of drama during the climactic chase. An epigraph from Aristotle appears on the copyright page: "For the things we have to learn before we can do, we learn by doing." The story acts more as a celebration of curiosity than a warning about the dangers of misbehaving. In fact, when the monkeys are told about a nearby banana tree at the end of the book, they are eager for another adventure. VERDICT Worth a purchase wherever Haughton's books are popular.--Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

This funny folkloric tale will cue audiences immediately. . . There's electrical contrast in the collage-style digital art, with the blue monkeys popping against red, magenta, and orange backdrops that will easily make images visible at a distance in a lively storytime.
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books 

A fun story of seeing the line, then daring to cross it. . . . equal parts whimsy and cautionary, kids will gravitate towards these little monkeys and their daring adventures. With bright colors and bold shapes, kids and adults alike will thoroughly enjoy this title.
—School Library Connection

Small children ages 2-6 will see the menace that the monkeys do not, which ratchets up the tension as the reckless primates commence to feasting on sweet juicy mangoes. . . enough to teach even the naughtiest tykes a lesson. Well, maybe . . .
—The Wall Street Journal

[H]ilarious... The droll illustrations in brilliant colors depict the wide-eyed monkeys talking each other into going for the mangoes and just barely escaping the cartoonish tigers' big teeth. Small children in the target audience will appreciate the perfect (and very funny) ending.

—The Buffalo News
Chris Haughton
Chris Haughton is the author-illustrator of Little Owl Lost, his debut picture book, which won the 2011 Marion Vannett Ridgway Award. He has created and taught many courses in design and illustration around the world. In 2007, he was named one of Time magazine's Design 100 for his work for Fair Trade and People Tree. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Chris Haughton now lives and works as an author-illustrator and designer in London.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781536220247
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Candlewick Press (MA)
Publication date
September 02, 2021
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV002020 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Apes, Monkeys, etc.
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
Library of Congress categories
-

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