Retro Friday Review: Summer of the Monkeys

Angieville has started a fun new feature called Retro Fridays. To read more about this click here. I thought this was a very fun idea and think I will copy her. I must have been born reading a book. Growing up I have fond memories of going to the library or the book store and having my Mom tell me I could pick out whatever I wanted, then eagerly returning home to curl up on our living room couch to read for hours. I only wish GoodReads had been around back then so I could actually remember all the books I had read. There are a few gems that have stuck with me throughout the years and Retro Fridays will be a great opportunity to return to those treasures and share them with everyone.

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls (first published 1992)

To kick things off I decided I would write about an old favorite, Summer of the Monkeys. I think the title and cover art is probably what drew me to the book in the first place. I am a big animal lover and the thought of spending a summer with monkeys seemed like a dream. This is one of those books that pop into mind every now and again bringing me back to the beautiful Ozark Mountains and the wonderful Lee family. Jay is only 14 years old when he learns that a bunch of circus monkeys have escaped and the circus is offering a reward for their return. Jay could sure use that money and decides he wants to try and capture the monkeys with the help of his Grandfather. The monkeys turn out to be a lot more trouble than he realizes, and he is soon faced with another challenge--whether to keep the reward money for himself or use it to help his crippled sister, Daisy, get a surgery she desperately needs.

I just love this book, it truly is a classic. It transports you into another time and you can feel the adventure of trying to catch monkeys, the hot summer days and the turmoil going on within little Jay. A great summer read and one that everyone would enjoy.