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COUNT THE MONKEYS

Name: COUNT THE MONKEYS
Author: Mac Barnett
ISBN: 978-1-4231-6065-6

by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Kevin Cornell ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2013

More fun than a barrel of…well, you know.

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How does one count the monkeys if there are no monkeys left to count? A philosophical question of the ages (and storytime).

The title page drolly advises readers from the start: “It’s fun. It’s easy. All you have to do is turn the page….” But there are no monkeys! Instead, there is a giant king cobra who has slithered across the entire book and scared all of the monkeys away. The audience is now directed to “[t]urn the page very slowly, very carefully so he doesn’t notice us.” Are the monkeys on the next page? Nope. But there are two mongooses who have chased away the cobra. Or is it mongeese? Barnett polls the readers, asking their opinion. And so it goes. Three dapper crocodiles frighten the mongooses, four picnic-loving grizzly bears frighten the crocodiles—but will there ever be any monkeys? This kinetic, raucous read-aloud invites kids to hum tunes, roar loudly, close their eyes and politely say “thank you” six times to the sweet old-lady beekeepers who chase away the bees. But alas, the book runs out of pages before those petrified primates ever make an appearance. (Thank goodness for endpapers.)

More fun than a barrel of…well, you know. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: June 25, 2013

ISBN: 978-1-4231-6065-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Review Posted Online: April 30, 2013

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2013

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
NOW I SEE SPRING
by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Jon Klassen

- BOOK REVIEW
THE FUTURE BOOK
by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Shawn Harris

- BOOK REVIEW
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
retold by Mac Barnett ; illustrated by Carson Ellis

- SEEN & HEARD
New Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Named

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IT'S MY BIRD-DAY!

From the Pigeon series

by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2026

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending.

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Don’t let the Pigeon ruin his own special day!

Anyone who has ever encountered the title character in any of his books—whether his first, Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (2003), or one of its many sequels—will understand that the bird’s innate self-love drives his every interaction. Little wonder, then, that he’s thrilled about his own “bird-day.” He has the hat. He has his “FANCY PLUMAGE.” And, best of all, he will get to blow out a candle “on my bird-day hot dog!” As he revels in the knowledge that this day is all for him, comeuppance is lurking. Someone has already blown out the bird-day candle—and eaten half the hot dog. It turns out that the Pigeon’s frenemy, the Duckling, has the same bird-day—as do a slew of newly hatched chicks. The Pigeon’s obligatory eight-panel freakout ensues. “What am I—invisible? I just want to be seen,” he whimpers, and when he receives some much-needed reassurance, he settles down and willingly shares his special day. While the switch from unapologetic narcissism to mature acceptance happens in the record-breaking span of two pages, the book is as enchanting as the Pigeon’s earlier outings. Even as it walks in the footsteps of its predecessors, there’s no denying the fun to be had.

Familiarity breeds a birthday for the ages in this party worth attending. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: March 31, 2026

ISBN: 9781454999621

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Union Square Kids

Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE MONSTER AND PUPPET SHOW!
by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci ; illustrated by Mo Willems & Kate Micucci

- BOOK REVIEW
THE PIGEON WON'T COUNT TO 10!
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

- BOOK REVIEW
WILL THE PIGEON GRADUATE?
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Mo Willems

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CHICKA CHICKA PEEP PEEP

From the Chicka Chicka Book series

by Julien Chung ; illustrated by Julien Chung ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 20, 2026

A sweet, springtime-themed reworking of a beloved tale.

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The classic picture book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989) gets a makeover for Easter as the letters of the alphabet locate and decorate eggs.

The mission is simple: “Chicka chicka peek peek. / Everybody seek seek! / Find all the eggs / in the pretty pink tree.” The letters are making their way up the flowering tree in search of the hidden eggs when a “SNEEZE!” scatters everyone and the eggs fall and crack. Luckily, a bunny hops by with a haul of new ones, which the letters then paint and bedazzle, eventually sharing the newly decorated eggs with a group of bunnies. This picture book is a successfully Easter-fied version of the original: The letters go up; the letters fall down. Truly, though, that’s all the preschool crowd needs. Chung’s illustrations are simple and familiar, a direct echo of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. The letters appear in colorful, bold, block form. The book has few added details, just focal images like the tree and its pink flowers, the colorful eggs, tufts of grass, and some friendly rabbits. The alphabet appears in order (both upper- and lowercase letters) at the book’s open and close. The rhyming text follows the iconic cadence of the source material, making for a worthy read-aloud that will keep little hands turning pages.

A sweet, springtime-themed reworking of a beloved tale. (Picture book. 3-5)