Yes, I Know the Monkey Man - Hardcover

Butler, Dori Hillestad

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1561454796 ISBN 13: 9781561454792

Publisher: Peachtree Pub Co Inc, 2009

Synopsis

What happens when everything you thought was true about your life turns out to be a lie?
Thirteen-year-old T. J. always believed that her twin sister and her mother were dead—because that’s what her father had told her. But Mom and Sam are very much alive. And now they want T. J. to be part of their family.
When T. J. reluctantly visits her mom and Sam for the first time, she is stunned by how similar she is to her twin sister, even though their lives have been very different. But while she is drawn to her new family, she is also wary of becoming attached to them and hurting her father’s feelings. Then when her father suffers a debilitating accident and tries to ensnare T. J. in another web of lies, her loyalties are finally tested.
In this thought-provoking companion to Do You Know the Monkey Man?, Dori Hillestad Butler creates a complex portrait of a family in crisis. Her skillful portrayal of T. J., a conflicted adolescent struggling with her identity, will resonate with readers.

About this title

About the Author

DORI HILLESTAD BUTLER is the author of several highly popular and award-winning books for middle readers and young adults. She lives in Iowa.

From the Back Cover

Smitty is never late for school. Not when his shoes get stuck in a sea of tar. Not when the sky rains snowmen down on the city streets. Not when he uses his coat for a sail to catch a gale and is swallowed up by a whale. Or when he encounters a robot from Mars eating up cars!

Reviews

Grade 4-7–Life with her irresponsible father has left 13-year-old T.J. wary and independent. She must come to terms with the fact that the father she loves allowed the rest of her family to spend 10 years believing she was dead. When she reluctantly goes to visit the mother and twin sister who are effectively strangers to her, it is painful and awkward for everyone. Picking up roughly where Do You Know the Monkey Man? (Peachtree, 2005) left off, this narrative switches from Samantha's to T.J.'s point of view. The events of the first book are well-integrated, allowing T.J.'s story to stand alone or to be read as a sequel. While the plot revolves around developing relationships and shifting perspectives, the pace is quick and there is enough action and tension to make this a good candidate for reluctant readers. The implausible backstory won't bother kids, nor will the other minor flaws, including a rather abrupt resolution. They'll find it highly readable, and it might even make them think about the effect of parents' behavior on who one becomes.–Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL
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Edition details

• Publisher: Peachtree Pub Co Inc
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1561454796
• ISBN 13: 9781561454792
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 196