Monkey Ono by J.C. Phillipps

by J.C. Phillipps

Monkey Ono is not exactly a real monkey, but he really, really wants to go to the beach! So when Beach Day arrives, and the children who own him forget the bag he's in, Monkey Ono does not take this lying down, like most stuffed animals would. Oh no, he's got a plan. In fact he's got many, many plans. From riding the family dog to ricocheting through the sky to diving down the water pipes. All end with hilarious results, but not exactly according to plan. Will Monkey Ono ever get to the beach?? Only if the beach comes to him...J.C. Phillipps’s spirited text and stunning illustrations, done in colorful cut paper collage, deliver a humorous story with a great message—try and try again!

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens, Humor, Dogs, Animals, Cats

Hardcover

First published March 7, 2013

About the author

Julie (J. C.) Phillipps is a born and raised Ohio girl who lives in New England. If you have a very good ear, you can still catch a little Midwestern accent. Although she has learned to say "soda" instead of "pop" and "sneakers" instead of "tennis shoes," she still thinks of the tiny candy on top of cupcakes as "sprinkles." "Jimmies" is just weird.

Wink: The Ninja Who Wanted To Be Noticed was Julie's first picture book, released March 2009. Since then she has written and illustrated three more picture books: Wink the Ninja Who Wanted to Nap, Monkey Ono, and The Simples Love a Picnic.

Julie jumped genres and is now working on making graphic novels. Her first middle grade graphic novel, Pacey Packer Unicorn Tracker, comes out August 2020 with Random House Graphics.

To learn more, visit her webpage: www.jcphillipps.com or follow her on Instagram @JCPhillipps.




J.C. Phillipps's books on Goodreads

Wink! The Ninja Who Wanted to be Noticed

reviews: 25
ratings: 69 (avg rating 4.19)

Reviews

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you tell my kid grabbed a handful of books from the P section?

I was underwhelmed by the premise, at first, but the execution is pretty great. My son likes taking over the reading when it's time to explain Monkey Ono's harebrained plans. He loves the "oh noo!" bits, but most of all the catch phrase: "Boom. Beach Day." It seems to get funnier to him with each reading. This one was a nice surprise.

[Karin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe it is my love of lists, but this was fantastic. Lots of fun and adventures with animals, bright illustrations. BOOM! 5 stars.

[Brigitte Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super cute. Easy read.

[Joella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Monkey Ono is a toy monkey who is very excited. It is Beach Day, the day when Monkey Ono’s owners are going to the beach. Monkey Ono is excited to stow away so that he can enjoy the fun of being at the beach. However, the bag that he stowed away in wasn’t one that was taken to the beach. Now Monkey Ono is trying to find a new way to get to the beach. Perhaps he can get the dog to take him, get flushed down the toilet to the beach, or be flung from the hammock to the beach. When all three of these plans do not work Monkey Ono becomes very glum. Until Monkey Ono and the pet dog, cat, and fish come up with a new plan for a Beach Day at home. He will lay in the dirt while soaking his feet in the bird bath while looking at the pet fish. Playing in the sand, getting your feet wet, and looking at fish are all part of Beach Day! This is a humorous tale of one determined toy monkey to enjoy the beach. The textured illustrations are delightful and will keep readers looking at details over and over again. Plus the child-like drawings of Monkey Ono’s plans will help youngsters relate to the grand plans of a kid (or in this case a toy) that are big on dreams though often not quite perfect in their execution.

[Natalie Lorenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first-grade son LOVES this book and clever Monkey Ono with his notebook of plans and diagrams, and the refrain of "Boom! Beach Day!" My son's class recently had a beach-themed day at school where they could bring towels, sunglasses, etc. and he brought MONKEY ONO, too. After his teacher read it to the kids, they asked her to read it again. As a teacher myself, I would definitely use this book as a springboard for planning, letting my students start their own planning notebooks--planning for writing, for summer activities, etc. The collage illustrations are bright and so well done--we seem to discover a new detail each time we read it. Highly recommended!

[Kate McGinty aka Caryn Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's beach day for Monkey Ono's family, and he is determined to join them. But when his plan backfires and his family leaves without him, he has to figure out a new way to the beach. Nothing works, though. Will Monkey Ono have to give up on having the beach day he craves?

This is a hilarious story about one toy monkey's refusal to miss out. Monkey Ono's creativity and optimistic outlook are inspiring; while each failure disappoints him, he comes right back with a new plan and loads of enthusiasm. Children who enjoy silly humor will likely giggle at the image of Monkey Ono trying to flush himself down the toilet or, later, ending up stuck inside a neighbor's pair of underwear.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monkey Ono is a stuffed family member that has accidentally been left at home while the rest of his household is spending a relaxing day at the beach. Monkey Ono is a primate with a plan, well actually several plans, to get himself to the beach where he too can soak his feet and watch fishies.

I loved all the imaginative thinking that this stuffed monkey showed. Parents and educators can easily add this fun read into a creative thinking assignment and art project where the kids can create their own plans to get to the beach.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Monkey Ono has a GREAT plan "Operation: Beach Day!" that will enable him to stowaway with his family and make it to the beach. When that plan goes awry, he makes a new plan. Several other plans follow when the second plan fails, but Monkey Ono is not deterred. He's ALMOST ready to give up when the BEST plan comes to him. Will he succeed? BOOM!

I love the paper collage illustrations and Monkey Ono's resiliance. He's DETERMINED to get to the beach!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a toy monkey who wants to go to the beach with his family. He makes plans to stow away in the car, but they leave before he can sneak in. He tries all kinds of other ways to get to the beach, and all of them fail. He decides, with the help of the cat and dog, to build his own beach in the backyard. They have a wonderful time! This is an entertaining book, but not tremendously exciting.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A boy's stuffed monkey makes many plans to get to the beach, but when all of them fail he creates a beach experience at home.

Cut paper collage artwork is fun and texturized. There's so much attention to detail that the artwork alone begs a reread, though the story is sure to bring readers back again and again.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Age: Preschool-2nd grade
Season: Summer
Toy: Stuffed monkey

Monkey Ono always has a plan, a backup plan, and a backup backup plan for every occasion. When his owners leave him at home to go to the beach, he is determined to get there by any means. I really liked his spiral notebook of plans and his catchphrase--Boom! Beach Day!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

My five-year-old son picked this book out from the library this week. It had a monkey on the cover and he could read it.

Monkey Ono is a resourceful, if silly, toy monkey -- something that pretty much every preschooler can relate to. The illustrations are bright, colorful and visually appealing.


Actual rating: 3.5 stars, but I round up.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun book to share with young listeners. With a bit of a set up for the premise to young listeners, a determined monkey gets to the beach.

The illustrations looks like paper and material - nice.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stuffed purple monkey wants to spend the day at the beach.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like a monkey with a plan - I really like a monkey who says things like Boom! and Bananza! and I really really like a new book about the beach that should work well in storytime.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the silly plans the monkey made to get to the beach and how in the end they solved the problem by recreating the beach in the backyard. Beautiful color collage style pictures

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute papercraft illustrations, but the story was a little dull and scrambled.

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet, a bit of humor and wonderfully illustrated.

[Danica Midlil · Rating 3 out of 5]

BOOM!
I like how many plans Monkey Ono came up with before he had his melt down.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Thia]

beach

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun summer book. This would be a cute one for a beach themed storytime.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's kind of like, when something goes wrong, yelling "Plot twist!" and moving on. I enjoyed it and the kids will, too.

monkey, stuffed animals, beach day

[Magila · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

This was better than the "No David" series to me. It is the Knuffle Bunny's story told from the Bunny's perspective, as a purple monkey.

Give it a try.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute story of a stuffed monkey who really wants to build sand castles, put his feet in the water and watch fishies. Boom! Beach Day!
Great paper cut illustrations.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meh.

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple yet very cut story. Great illustrations. My daughter really enjoyed this book for nap time.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the illustrations and Monkey's clever schemes.