More Caps for Sale: Another Tale of Mischievous Monkeys (Caps for Sale #3)

How often does a sequel pick up exactly where its predecessor left off--75 years later? Sayer, who worked for years as Slobodkina's assistant, uses scanned and manipulated images from the classic Too Many Caps and the late author's other work to fashion illustrations that are impressively faithful to those of the previous book. The text, too, retains its predecessor's folktale-style prose. The peddler still carries his caps on his head ("First he had on his own checked cap, then a bunch of gray caps..."), and the monkeys still copy everything he does. Where Too Many Caps was a story of saucy fun, Sayer sees in the monkeys' mimicry the opportunity to set a good example. First the monkeys learn to throw their banana peels into the trash barrel by copying the peddler; then they redeem themselves the next day by following him into the city and mimicking his cap-selling routine: "When the peddler bowed, the monkeys bowed, too. Everyone was smiling to see such a sight." Success! The peddler sells all his caps--none the wiser about the help he's had. Though it ends a bit abruptly, it's a worthy successor to Slobodkina's original. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)

PreS-K--Published posthumously, this book is an obvious labor of love for Sayer, who worked closely with Slobodkina for years. Using ideas and illustrations from the beloved author's works, Sayer constructed this sequel to the classic Caps for Sale, which closely mirrors the original, while continuing the story in a way that stays true to Slobodkina's voice and illustration style. She was one of the first illustrators to use abstract and collage art in children's books, and this new title is a celebration of her simplicity in line, color, and landscape. Children will delight in the monkeys' antics as they follow the peddler home. In this "monkey see, monkey do" tale, the monkeys and the peddler interact in various scenarios, each resulting in a mimicking of good behavior. The peddler spends most of his night and the next morning worried that he has not sold any hats. As he heads into town the next day, the monkeys follow him again, which favorably results in many hat sales for the peddler this time around. VERDICT This reimagining of the classic tale is a recommended purchase not only for the quality of the story but also because of the wonderful history of children's literature that is tied to it.--Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA