Monkey Picture Books

Today is Monkey Day!  Celebrate today with a little one in your life with one of these picture books featuring monkeys.

Banana! by Ed Vere - Two monkeys. One banana. What's to be done?
Ed Vere's hilariously eye-popping art tells the story of two monkeys learning to share in this stunning, nearly-wordless picture book.
One banana. Two monkeys. Perfect!

Be Quiet, Mike! by Leslie Patricelli - Digga-digga-digga-digga, zat, zoom, crash! Leslie Patricelli's lovable (but noisy!) character finds an ingenious way to create a sound all his own.
Even before he was born, Mike started drumming. Kick! Thump! Pow! Wherever he goes, his rhythms sing: swis, thak, go his books; bang, clank, goes the trash can; tap, tap, go his pencils; and "BE QUIET, MIKE!" yells everyone around him. But one day Mike sees a drum set in a store window -- and puts his hands-on talents to work in a most impressive way. With the bold graphic style and clever details her readers love, Leslie Patricelli strikes a cymbal for active, high-energy little monkeys everywhere.

Cloud Tea Monkeys by Mal Peet & Elspeth Graham, illustrated by Juan Wijngaard - Tashi lives in a tiny village at the foot of the mountains, below the tea plantations where her mother works. When her mother falls ill, Tashi goes alone to the plantation, hoping to earn money for the doctor. But she is far too small to harvest the tender shoots, and her clumsy efforts anger the cruel Overseer. She is desolate, until -- chack-chack-chack! -- something extraordinary happens. Inspired by a centuries-old legend of tea-picking monkeys, here is a richly told tale full of vivid characters: the heartless Overseer, the enigmatic Royal Tea Taster, and -- far away -- an empress with a penchant for tea.

Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett & Kevin Cornell - Kids will giggle as they count all the animals that have frightened the monkeys off the pages. Full of fun reader interactions and keeps readers guessing until the very last page! Matching Mac Barnett's brilliant wit are Kevin Cornell's luminous illustrations, which will have young readers begging to count the monkeys all over again.

I Have a Balloon by Ariel Bernstein, illustrated by Scott Magoon - Owl has a red balloon. Monkey does not. "That red balloon matches my shiny red tie," says Monkey. "I'd look fancy walking to school with a shiny red balloon. The only thing I've ever wanted, since right now, is a shiny, big red balloon. It would make me SO HAPPY!" But Owl does not want to give it to him. So Monkey tries to find something that Owl wants: a teddy bear, a robot, a picture of TEN balloons. Owl does not want any of these things. But then, Monkey offers him...a sock!
Hmmmmm...Owl is intrigued. Will he trade his shiny red balloon with Monkey?

Kiki's Blankie by Janie Bynum - With her adored polka-dot blankie in hand, Kiki can do and be anything she wants. In a flash, it transforms her into a cowgirl, a pirate, even a superhero with a cape! So when the blankie blows away, Kiki will do anything to get it back…even face a very scary crocodile.
Janie Bynum’s irresistible heroine proves that love makes us brave and strong—even when we don’t have our special blanket to protect us!

The Monkey Goes Bananas by C. P. Bloom, illustrated by Peter Raymundo - It's time to go bananas! A determined monkey spies a banana tree across the water. What happens next is an inventive romp, as the resourceful monkey attempts to grab a snack, with some hilarious consequences. Full of energy, surprise, and strong visual storytelling, this practically wordless picture book will entice even the most reluctant reader. The Monkey Goes Bananas is fast-paced, delicious fun that's sure to leave young readers hungry for another read.

Monkey with a Tool Belt by Chris Monroe - Whether you need a beebersaw or a chisel, Chico Bon Bon's your monkey. He can build or fix just about anything--from a dock for the ducks to a clock for the Clucks, even a small roller coaster for local chipmunks. But will his tools and his sharp wit save him when an organ grinder sets his sights on making Chico a circus star? Chris Monroe's quirky hero and detailed illustrations will absorb readers in an entertaining adventure that shows there is an inventive way out of every problem--if you have the right tools.

More and More by Emma Dodd - A little monkey learns that his parent loves him more and more every day.
The love between parent and child grows by the day, as one little monkey discovers in this gorgeous new story from Emma Dodd. Stunning illustrations of a monkey family and foil-embellished pages make this the perfect book for parent-child bonding at bedtime.

Warning: Do Not Open This Book! by Adam Lehrhaupt, illustrated by Matthew Forsythe - It looks like a book, it feels like a book, and it even smells like a book. But watch out...madness and mayhem lie within! Debut author Adam Lehrhaupt urges you NOT to take a walk on the wild side in this humorous, interactive romp with inventive and engaging illustrations from Eisner Award-winning comic artist and rising star children's book illustrator Matthew Forsythe. Warning: Do Not Open This Book? won the E.B. White Read-Aloud Honor award and was a 2013 Huffington Post Best Picture Book honorable mention and an ALA Notable Children's Book.
This quirky, subversive creation begs to be enjoyed again and again and again.