title: To Catch a Monkey
author:  Richard Read 
description: <span>The Manhattan Review-11/2015</span><br /> <span>Richard Read weaves in adolescent themes amid troubling economic times in his latest middle grade school novel.<span> </span>Although his third person narrative is purely a work of fiction, Read "incorporates situations encountered by students and children that he counseled" during his twenty-five-year stint as a high school counselor.<span> </span>Featuring Cali and Sky as his principal characters, Read cleverly laces in topics such as puberty and bullying, as well as the concept of building healthy boy-girl relationships, while developing his unique storyline.</span><br /><br />23rd Annual Writer's Digest Self-Published Book Awards:A fun book that serves multiple purposes. In addition to providing an entertaining story, readers will learn new vocabulary words and problem solving skills. The young protagonist sets out to save the family from matters that go from bad to worse. Although there are situations in the story that might be implausible, the author makes a case that they might actually happen. This fun story is sure to gain fans who will gobble it up and eagerly await the next one. Both children and their parents should appreciate what's been done.
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  ![\[Image\]](images/CuriousGeorgeAndFriends-page_leaf_011_5.jpg)
  
  
  _Curious George_
  
  
  **_by_**
  
  
  _H. A. Rey_
  
  
  
  
  
  This is George.  
  
  
  He lived in Africa.  
  
  
  He was a good little monkey  
  
  
  and always very curious.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![\[Image\]](images/CuriousGeorgeAndFriends-page_leaf_013_6.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  One day George saw a man.  
  
  
  He had on a large yellow straw hat.  
  
  
  The man saw George too.  
  
  
  "What a nice little monkey," he thought.  
  
  
  "I would like to take him home with me."  
  
  
  He put his hat on the ground  
  
  
  and, of course, George was curious.  
  
  
  He came down from the tree  
  
  
  to look at the large yellow hat.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![\[Image\]](images/CuriousGeorgeAndFriends-page_leaf_015_7.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  The hat had been on the man's head.  
  
  
  George thought it would be nice  
  
  
  to have it on his own head.  
  
  
  He picked it up and put it on.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![\[Image\]](images/CuriousGeorgeAndFriends-page_leaf_017_8.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  The hat covered George's head.  
  
  
  He couldn't see.  
  
  
  The man picked him 