Mindful Muslim Reader Review

Summer of the Monkeys

Summer of the Monkeys

Gold star
Ages:
  • Read Aloud
  • Virtue
    VIRTUE
    Is this the way I want my child to think and act?
    Ratings are based on how much a book extols Islamic morality and espouses classical ideals.
  • Language
    LANGUAGE
    Is this the way I want my child to speak?
    Ratings are based on a book's vocabulary, cadence, and overall eloquence suited to age level.
  • Story
    STORY
    Does this story resonate with my child?
    Ratings are based on the integrity of plot structure, the depth of characters, the palpability of the book's conflict and resolution, and the lure of its setting.
  • Beauty
    BEAUTY
    Does this book develop my child's ability to recognize beauty?
    Ratings are based on aesthetics, linguistic beauty, poignancy, and how well a book embodies ihsan—harmonizing excellence.

Values

  • Generosity
  • Manhood
Heart

Struggles

  • Family Ties
  • Grief
Why Should
Why Should My Child Read This Book?

It’s rare to find a book with a fascinating story that features a protagonist who has a warm, positive and supportive relationship with his grandfather and with both parents. This book earns our Gold Star. The fourteen-year-old boy sacrifices his hard-earned reward money and his life-long dream for the sake of his sister’s health.

What is this book
What’s This Book About?
This book is about fourteen-year-old Jay Berry Lee. The last thing Jay expects to find along an old Ozark river bottom is a tree full of monkeys. His grandpa had an explanation, of course--as he did for most things. The monkeys had escaped from a traveling circus, and there was a handsome reward in store for anyone who could catch them. Grandpa said there wasn't any animal that couldn't be caught somehow, and Jay Berry started out believing him . . . But by the end of the "Summer of the Monkeys," Jay Berry Lee had learned a lot more than he ever bargained for--and not just about monkeys. He learned about faith, and wishes coming true, and knowing what it is you really want. He even learned a little about growing up . . . This novel, set in rural Oklahoma around the turn of the century, is a heart-warming family story--full of rich detail and delightful characters--about a time and place when miracles were really the simplest of things...
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Anything I need to be aware of?

VIEW FLAGS
Genres:
Publisher: Yearling
Published: 1998 (originally published in 1976)
Page Count: 288
ISBN13: 9780440415800
*This review applies only to ISBN number noted above.
WE READ
COVER TO COVER
so you don't have to.
WE READ COVER TO COVER so you don't have to.

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