Adorably illustrated book. Silly monkeys! ( )

This is a book version of "Monkeys Jumping on the Bed." It is used to introduce the concept of subtraction. Readers can use the 3D monkey heads that peek through the cut-outs to count them as they fall off the bed. Preschoolers would benefit most from reading this book. ( )

The book takes the familiar "five silly monkeys jumping on the bed" song, sets it to pictures and slightly alters the wording. Instead of five monkeys, there are eight, and they are doing more than just jumping on the bed: they are eating, spinning, dancing, and sliding. At the end, after all of the monkeys have fallen and been ordered never to jump on the bed again, the book ends with a tease of the eight monkeys jumping on the couch.

The new lyrics still match the rhythm of the original song, making both reading and singing equally viable options for this book. The bright illustrations are humorous and depict each new outlandish activity; more importantly, the monkey heads are made of a hard plastic shell, that entices little fingers. As you turn each page, another monkey falls off the bed, and they disappear from the illustrations, along with their plastic skulls. This is a basic book, but it has appeal in its familiar rhyme, the silly factor, and the sensory aspect. It reinforces basic counting ideas. For my daughters, who love the monkey song, the book was an easy sell. ( )

A play on the 5 little monkeys song. 8 little monkeys swing, eat, spin and dance their way to injury. ( )

A fun book for an old classic. Children love coming back to this book; maybe because they know the song so well. The illustrations are okay. It's also made very sturdy for them to be able to use easily. ( )