Monk Camps Out - Hardcover

McCully, Emily Arnold

3.23

44 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0439099765 ISBN 13: 9780439099769

Publisher: Arthur a Levine, 2000

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In a charmingly illustrated family tale, a young mouse decides to spend the night camping out alone in his backyard, but his parents have other ideas. By the creator of Mirette on the Highwire.

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Review:

When Monk decides it's a perfect night for his first solo camp-out, his parents are a bit nervous. "All by yourself?" his mother asks. Mom and Dad worry about the tent, his dinner, the dark. But Monk is confident. With only a little help from his parents, he sets up his tent and prepares for a night in the wilds of his backyard. All goes well until he wakes up in the middle of the night, realizing he desperately needs his baseball mitt, and rushes inside. Of course, just at that moment, his parents rush outside to check on Monk. The tender, if sleepy, morning reunion after a night of missed connections makes the whole adventure worthwhile.

A child's first foray into independence--every parent knows it will happen sooner or later. For the young adventurer who is almost but not quite ready to take that leap, this story is a sweet and comforting reminder that the first step doesn't have to be a scary one. Caldecott Medal winner Emily Arnold McCully (Mirette on the High Wire) delights readers young and old with her playful tales, endearing asides, and loose, relaxed watercolor illustrations. McCully's mice have appeared in several of her books, including the clever Mouse Practice, again starring her sincere yet fallible family. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

From School Library Journal:

PreSchool-Grade 2-Monk, who perfected his pitching arm in Mouse Practice (Scholastic, 1999), returns to take another step toward autonomy. When the little mouse decides to camp out, he tries and fails to erect a tent. Watching from the window, Dad asks, "Should we help him?" and Mom replies, "Absolutely not!" Turn the page, and she's energetically pounding a tent peg. They try to wait up for him to come inside, but, like Monk, they fall asleep. Everyone wakes up at the same time, and in one hilarious wordless spread viewed from above, Monk runs in the front door while his parents rush out the back. By morning, everything is sorted out. The story is told in several voices. The third-person narration, printed in clear typeface, stands separate from the art, while the dialogue between Monk and his parents looks handwritten and almost seems part of the action. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations supply the lively rhythm and dynamics of a musical piece. The interplay of elements creates humor and gentle irony. McCully's sure hand with brush and pen takes readers inside the characters with revealing close-ups surrounded by white space or dark, spooky night scenes, then moves them easily to an omniscient perspective, allowing them to chuckle at Monk and his parents, while understanding them completely. An entertaining choice for the picture-book hour.
Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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