Review of Teeny! Tiny! Mini Monkey

[Olivia Bird Whitworth]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Teeny! Tiny! Mini Monkey" by Kirsten Jacobson Stasney.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Teeny! Tiny! Mini Monkey! by Kirsten Jacobson Stasney is a book about Mini, a monkey who is different from the others. He wants to fit in, but they tease him and refuse to play with him. Mini sets out on a journey to discover how to become like the other monkeys, and he seeks advice from wise animals around the forest. Sadly, Mini learns he can’t change his differences and returns home. When the other forest animals need him and his differences to save the day, Mini becomes a hero.

I bought this book to try out with my kids. My daughter loved the illustrations on every page. The book is printed on quality paper, which I appreciate because it will hold up well. The lesson that it teaches about the importance of our differences is valuable for my kids to learn. As we continue to read this book in the coming years, I hope they will feel confident in themselves and their unique traits.

One thing about this book that I would change is the layout of the pages. It was difficult to keep my daughter engaged because there were so many words on each page. If the book had fewer words per page, then younger kids could pay better attention and enjoy more of the beautiful artwork. The back cover says the book is a perfect gift for preschool children and young readers. However, with nearly 1,000 words, I wouldn’t recommend this book to very young children who are 2 or 3 years old. It is a great book for those in the 4- to 8-year-old range.

I recommend this book for teachers and caregivers of children in the early years of elementary school. It is a good book to start a conversation about how everyone is special, and sometimes it is even our differences that make us special. There were no errors that I could find in the book, a tribute to its meticulous editing.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars because it can be hard to keep toddlers engaged while reading it. However, teachers and caregivers of younger elementary school students will find this book to be a great way to introduce a conversation on acceptance and diversity. Overall, it is a worthwhile read.

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Teeny! Tiny! Mini Monkey
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