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Summary
Summary
Maggie's active imagination is annoying -- until she needs a big brother to back her up -- in a hugely funny, spot-on tale every sibling is sure to relate to.
A family of monkeys has moved into the refrigerator! At least, that's what Maggie says. Of course, no one else can see them, but that doesn't stop Mom and Dad from playing along, even going out of their way to accommodate the invisible visitors. An extra bowl of pudding at the table? A DO NOT DISTURB sign on the fridge? What's a rustrated, reality obsessed brother to do? Readers will hoot with laughter at this warm, witty, wildly imaginative story of sibling love and loyalty.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-A big brother is skeptical of the little pink monkeys his sister says have moved into the refrigerator. Dad supports Maggie's claim, and "was careful not to shut the door on their tails when he took out the mayonnaise." Mom makes extra banana pudding for them and older sister Kate helps dress them in invisible clothes. Big brother doesn't buy the premise that they live in the refrigerator because they are polar monkeys. When he confronts his mother, she responds, "Sometimes...it's hard to know what's real." When his friends come over, they laugh at Maggie's monkeys and threaten to let them escape. Big brother notices and responds to Maggie's tears and "quick, worried suck" of her thumb. He steps up to her defense, affirming his love for her. Carter's black colored pencil and gouache cartoon illustrations feature a lively family in a cheerfully decorated home. Pages depicting characters who support Maggie's belief are framed and have a little monkey hanging onto the border. Pages with big brother's skepticism are plain and unframed until he, too, buys into the story. This splendidly crafted tale of imagination and family love may start discussions about what is real, what is not, and the power of persuasion.-Laura Scott, Farmington Community Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Maggie insists that a monkey family is living in the refrigerator. Her older brother, unlike their parents and sister, can't bring himself to indulge the fantasy--until his friends make fun of Maggie. This sweet story takes on more than familial loyalty: it's also about outgrowing (and re-embracing) one's fantasy life. The spirited pencil and gouache illustrations depict big bro's changing attitude. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A family of pink polar monkeys has moved into the refrigerator, and Maggie's older brother cannot fathom why the entire family is catering to the imagination of his stillthumb-sucking younger sister. But no one will listen to his protests, and Mom simply says, "Sometimes it's hard to know what's real." When he can't beat them, he joins them, but his imagination is just not up to Maggie's standards. However sick of monkey business he is, though, when his friends threaten his sister's peace-of-mind, he become Horton-like and protects both the pink monkeys and his sister. In her children's debut, Sanders-Wells wonderfully encapsulates the difficulties of being a middle childsimultaneously too old and too young. Carter's masterful facial expressions reflects this inner battle. Her gouache artwork is done in a bright, tropical palette that emphasizes the imaginative theme. While pink polar monkeys may not exist, what is very real is the love and loyalty of a big brother. A humorous tale sure to make siblings smile, even as they inwardly groan. (Picture book. 3-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.