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Monkey Bright Blue Bottom
A long time ago, when the world was quite new, a monkey sat watching the birds as they flew. Like feathery rainbows they flashed through the air. 'How come they're so pretty', he thought. 'It's not fair!' When a mischievous monkey discovers a paintbox, he has a brilliant idea, but things don't go quite as monkey has planned.
32 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2008
4 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Steve Smallman
932 books75 followersSteve Smallman lives in Staffordshire with his wife, two dogs and two cats. He has four children and a grandchild. Steve has been illustrating children’s books for almost 30 years and writing his own stories for slightly less. He also teaches illustration workshops in schools, including mural-painting. Steve is the author of Smelly Peter the Great Pea Eater (Winner of the Sheffield Children's Book Award 2009) and The Lamb Who Came for Dinner (Shortlisted for the Red House Children's Book Award and read by Meatloaf on CITV's Bookaboo). When he’s not working, Steve enjoys films, television, gardening and walking in the countryside.
Steve Smallman on Steve Smallman:
I started working as an illustrator when I was in my final year at Art College and now, over 28 years later I still haven't got a proper job! I've illustrated literally hundreds of books, predominantly in educational publishing. A few years ago I was main illustrator for Longman's 'Story Street' reading scheme, illustrating 79 titles and writing 5.
I've worked in children's television, specifically in character development and most notably in the 'Raggy Doll' series in the mid to late 1980's. I have also done a certain amount of licensed work, illustrating characters such as Postman Pat, Bill and Ben and Sesame Street.
I've been described as an 'Animal Artist', not I hasten to add because I'm wild and hairy but because I love to draw animals and especially like to give them human characteristics.
I've been writing children's books for about 6 years and have already had several picture books published with more in development.
I've got 4 great children and although they're all adults now, my memories of them growing up inspire and inform my writing.
Steve Smallman on Steve Smallman:
I started working as an illustrator when I was in my final year at Art College and now, over 28 years later I still haven't got a proper job! I've illustrated literally hundreds of books, predominantly in educational publishing. A few years ago I was main illustrator for Longman's 'Story Street' reading scheme, illustrating 79 titles and writing 5.
I've worked in children's television, specifically in character development and most notably in the 'Raggy Doll' series in the mid to late 1980's. I have also done a certain amount of licensed work, illustrating characters such as Postman Pat, Bill and Ben and Sesame Street.
I've been described as an 'Animal Artist', not I hasten to add because I'm wild and hairy but because I love to draw animals and especially like to give them human characteristics.
I've been writing children's books for about 6 years and have already had several picture books published with more in development.
I've got 4 great children and although they're all adults now, my memories of them growing up inspire and inform my writing.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 3, 2019
This is an engagingly cheeky picture book, which will make young children laugh out loud, as soon as they spot the cover. In fact The Monkey with a Bright Blue Bottom by Steve Smallman is a pourquoi story like the famous “Just So Stories”, by Rudyard Kipling, but with a difference:
It is all in rhyme.
“Pourquoi stories” are ones which give explanations for the origins of animals, and also some of their characteristics. They are present in many different cultures, and are often now told to entertain. This one fits the bill perfectly. Just why is it that some monkeys have startlingly coloured faces - and rear ends? This book offers an explanation why.
In the beginning, when the world was new, a monkey was admiring all the brilliantly hued birds flying about. Then he looked at all the other creatures around him. What boring colours they all were! “They all looked as dull as an elephant poo.”
So one day, when all the animals were sleeping, what did the cheeky monkey do? What would you be tempted to do, if you were armed with a paint box full of bright colours?
Yes, the monkey got creative. He painted stripes on the zebra, spots on the leopard and squares on the giraffe … but then he got a bit carried away. He painted the leopard bright yellow to start with, but when the sleepy big cat gave a growl, the monkey got a fright, and jumped, splashing big dollops of black paint from the paint box onto the animal! Perhaps the most fun the monkey had, was when he painted big white spectacles on the brown bear. (Oh now, come on, stop frowning. Haven’t we all wanted to do this to someone who’s asleep?)
But glorious and vivid as the animals now all look, the monkey is about to get his comeuppance. The animals wake up, and they are not AT ALL amused to see their new selves. In fact they are really quite irked, so they decide to get their own back, and teach that cheeky monkey a lesson.
So the bear grabs the paintbrush, and the box of colours, and proceeds to paint the bum cheeks of the cheeky monkey “as bright as a blue summer sky” (that’ll teach him!) and furthermore goes on to paint the monkey’s face for good measure. Now the crestfallen monkey looks just like a clown, with his red white and blue face (and bright blue bottom) - and to cap it all, all the other animals giggle to themselves whenever he passes by.
The Monkey with a Bright Blue Bottom is just a marvellous story for little ones. I can guarantee that they will giggle whenever they hear the word “bum” or see the monkey’s bright blue bottom. It is a real page-turner; the rhyming verse, with four (or a couple of times, five) lines to each double page, serving both to move the story along, and to entertain. The perfectly matched pictures are cute, amusing and fun to look at. The artist Nick Schon has used brightly coloured gouache, painting in flat broad strokes, but inserting a few details where appropriate. And this is important, because there is yet one more significant feature of this book …
“Pourquoi” tales are, of course, intended to explain the origins of real life animals. This story has, very neatly, chosen to include both familiar, and unfamiliar, animals. Children will very probably already know that zebras have stripes, and giraffes a sort of square pattern, but will they have heard of a spectacled bear? Or our hero, the mandrill monkey, with his red and blue face?
After enjoying the story and rhymes, identifying all the animals, and all the shapes, colours and patterns, what better than to find pictures of these lesser known animals in real life, and join in the surprise and astonishment?
Altogether this is an hilarious book, which provides a perfect opportunity to kick off some genuine amazement at our wonderful natural world.
It is all in rhyme.
“Pourquoi stories” are ones which give explanations for the origins of animals, and also some of their characteristics. They are present in many different cultures, and are often now told to entertain. This one fits the bill perfectly. Just why is it that some monkeys have startlingly coloured faces - and rear ends? This book offers an explanation why.
In the beginning, when the world was new, a monkey was admiring all the brilliantly hued birds flying about. Then he looked at all the other creatures around him. What boring colours they all were! “They all looked as dull as an elephant poo.”
So one day, when all the animals were sleeping, what did the cheeky monkey do? What would you be tempted to do, if you were armed with a paint box full of bright colours?
Yes, the monkey got creative. He painted stripes on the zebra, spots on the leopard and squares on the giraffe … but then he got a bit carried away. He painted the leopard bright yellow to start with, but when the sleepy big cat gave a growl, the monkey got a fright, and jumped, splashing big dollops of black paint from the paint box onto the animal! Perhaps the most fun the monkey had, was when he painted big white spectacles on the brown bear. (Oh now, come on, stop frowning. Haven’t we all wanted to do this to someone who’s asleep?)
But glorious and vivid as the animals now all look, the monkey is about to get his comeuppance. The animals wake up, and they are not AT ALL amused to see their new selves. In fact they are really quite irked, so they decide to get their own back, and teach that cheeky monkey a lesson.
So the bear grabs the paintbrush, and the box of colours, and proceeds to paint the bum cheeks of the cheeky monkey “as bright as a blue summer sky” (that’ll teach him!) and furthermore goes on to paint the monkey’s face for good measure. Now the crestfallen monkey looks just like a clown, with his red white and blue face (and bright blue bottom) - and to cap it all, all the other animals giggle to themselves whenever he passes by.
The Monkey with a Bright Blue Bottom is just a marvellous story for little ones. I can guarantee that they will giggle whenever they hear the word “bum” or see the monkey’s bright blue bottom. It is a real page-turner; the rhyming verse, with four (or a couple of times, five) lines to each double page, serving both to move the story along, and to entertain. The perfectly matched pictures are cute, amusing and fun to look at. The artist Nick Schon has used brightly coloured gouache, painting in flat broad strokes, but inserting a few details where appropriate. And this is important, because there is yet one more significant feature of this book …
“Pourquoi” tales are, of course, intended to explain the origins of real life animals. This story has, very neatly, chosen to include both familiar, and unfamiliar, animals. Children will very probably already know that zebras have stripes, and giraffes a sort of square pattern, but will they have heard of a spectacled bear? Or our hero, the mandrill monkey, with his red and blue face?
After enjoying the story and rhymes, identifying all the animals, and all the shapes, colours and patterns, what better than to find pictures of these lesser known animals in real life, and join in the surprise and astonishment?
Altogether this is an hilarious book, which provides a perfect opportunity to kick off some genuine amazement at our wonderful natural world.
January 28, 2020
Monkey gets bored with all of the animals being such boring colours, especially as he admires the parrots with their vibrant plumage. One day, after finding a tin of paints, he decides to get creative while the other animals are sleeping...and so the zebra ends up with stripes, the leopard with spots, etc. When the animals wake up they're not all entirely pleased about their new outfits, so they take revenge on monkey by painting his face and rear end in red and blue so he looks ridiculous.
I liked the illustration style and the creative story which is sure to have children designing their own animal coats and patterns.
I liked the illustration style and the creative story which is sure to have children designing their own animal coats and patterns.
February 3, 2013
A cheeky monkey admires the brightly coloured birds around him, and wonders why all the other animals are all the colour of ‘elephant poo’! The monkey finds a paint box and brush and when all the animals are sleeping he paints them with stripes on the zebra, spots on the leopard and squares on the giraffe! However, when the animals wake up they are not happy to have changes colour, so the bear (who has been painted with white glasses) paints the monkeys face and bottom!!
This is a lovely story of how the animals got their different colours and patterns, and the illustrations are very colourful and eye-catching.
The story is good for KS1, to help them to identify colours, patterns and all the different animals. Also they love any references to the monkeys blue bottom!
This is a lovely story of how the animals got their different colours and patterns, and the illustrations are very colourful and eye-catching.
The story is good for KS1, to help them to identify colours, patterns and all the different animals. Also they love any references to the monkeys blue bottom!
August 13, 2024
First time reading this to my daughter. I was giggling all the way through! The story is silly and great! It rhymes so well! We go to this book almost every story time and the entire family love this book.
November 14, 2016
The kids loved this book of course because it's silly & focuses on the monkey's butt. It funny & cute, but I don't like the very end how the animals continue to make fun of him.
July 22, 2022
Funny. Rhyme
September 25, 2022
Excellent writing but half-hearted illustrations.
December 29, 2020
A really cute story, my 3.5 year old enjoyed it and laughed out loud :)
February 11, 2017
Did you ever wonder how the leopard got his spots? Or the how the stripes got on a zebra? In this rhyming book the answers to the colors of the some of the animals we are all familiar with is explained with some wonderful illustrations. It's the beginning of time and fascinated with the colorful birds flying in the air, monkey's jealousy gets the best of him; it's not fair they are so pretty. As he walks, taking in the drab colors of all the other animals around him, monkey comes upon a paintbox and brushes. Monkey has instantly become an artist. It's a cute and fun book and the rhymes actually carry the book along. So why does monkey have a blue bottom? It was not something he chose, you'll just have to ask his friends.
Ages: Kindergarten - third grade (depends on the child)
Ages: Kindergarten - third grade (depends on the child)
August 27, 2014
Fun pictures. I enjoyed it as a story. I was reading it as a possible storytime book, but I'm not sure how well the talk about painting the monkey's butt might go with some of our parents. It's a fun story, but to be on the safe side I'd keep it as a display book for storytime, not as one to read alound (though it would be good for that for a family or group who are alright with the butt talk). It also could raise some issues about creation and the age of the earth and animals, and though I don't think that's the point, and I know it's just a fun little story, I also worry about reactions to that.
May 2, 2013
Great folktale about how jungle animals got their colors and patterns. I would pair it with Monkey! A Trickster Tale from India by Gerald McDermott. Did I mention that I don't really like monkeys? I don't, but these books are pretty awesome.
June 29, 2013
My young cousins introduced me to this book during a visit to Texas. I couldn't wait to try it out in storytime, and yes, the 4 & 5 year olds loved it. Pair it with "Meet the Howlers!" By April Sayre for a howling good monkey preschool to kindergarten storytime.
March 20, 2009
The illustration is not really my cup of tea, however the story is creative :) You will find out how leopard got his black spots!
September 24, 2009
WE LOVE THIS BOOK!!! Definitely worth a buy!
April 25, 2014
Great rhyming read aloud
September 11, 2021
It was sooooooooooooooooooo funny!
December 16, 2010
animals, por quoi, colors
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews