Monkey and the Engineer

by Jesse Fuller, David Opie (Illustrator)

This children's book is a beautifully illustrated depiction of a classic folk song by the late Jesse Fuller. A train engineer's pet monkey drives off with locomotive 99, leaving the engineer with a "worried mind," The monkey operates the train well despite a near miss with a modern express engine. An abbreviated biography of Jesse Fuller as well as his original lyrics and sheet music are printed on the last pages.

26 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2007

Reviews

[Jodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST kids book for families and music fans. It's a classic song, a funny concept, and a timeless treasure. 💜🐒

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have six nieces and nephews, so I'm always looking for terrific books to read to them. I was pleasantly surprised to discover an additional fan of Monkey and the Engineer: my husband. When he saw the book's title, he got very excited and sang the song as I turned the pages. What a hoot!

The lyrics, about an engineer's pet monkey running off with the train, are so silly and lend themselves to some classic pictures - the one of the engineer's "worried mind" is hilarious! And the monkey really looks competent in parts, which had me chuckling. The book includes an online link to Fuller singing his song with a harmonica, a nice touch.

I'd recommend this book not only to fans of folk music or The Grateful Dead, but to anyone looking for a fun book to make your loved ones (and yourself) smile. Let this inspiration move you brightly!

[Robyn Hawk · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of the Monkey and the Engineer is from a song by the famous blues artist and composer Jessie Fuller and has long been covered by the Grateful Dead (in their many incarnations). While this makes the book particularly attractive to "Dead Heads" - this story stands solidly on its own.

This delightful telling of the tale takes us on a fun ride...with colorful illustrations by David Opie that captivate your heart and release your imagination. Children of all ages will enjoy this entertaining story!

It has been said that "the blues" is the folk music of America - I really appreciate the history. The story of Jessie Fuller that is beautifully told in the back of the book helps to make this book relevant to children, teens and adults alike.

I hope that this is just the first in a long series of books based on the songs of the great "blues" Masters! Bravo!

[Terry]

We've got a review at the Reading Tub website.