One Tricky Monkey Up On Top: A Counting Adventure (Magic Castle Readers)
Magic Castle Readers Series
What’s inside...
In 'One Tricky Monkey Up On Top: A Counting Adventure' by Jane B. Moncure, young readers join a playful monkey on a counting adventure. The monkey climbs various objects and animals, encouraging children to count and enhance their number skills. The story features simple text and colorful illustrations, making it engaging and educational. It is part of the Magic Castle Readers series, aimed at teaching fundamental concepts to early readers. Additionally, a child helps a circus clown find animals that have escaped from a train.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
6-8
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think the monkey will do next every time he climbs higher?
How do you feel when the monkey adds more friends to the top? Does it make the story more exciting?
Can you count how many friends the monkey has on top at the end?
What lessons do you think the monkey learned about sharing and teamwork?
Tip: Role play these questions
While reading, pause at each new numeric addition and ask your child to predict what will happen next. This helps keep them engaged and thinking ahead.
Emphasize the collaborative aspect of the monkeys working together. Discuss with your child times when they have worked together with others to achieve a goal.
Count together with your child each time a new monkey is added. This helps reinforce numerical skills in a fun, interactive way.
After reading, relate the story to your child's experiences by asking if they've ever been in a tricky situation and how they resolved it.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Counting and Numerical Skills
Explanation: Through playful scenarios, the book introduces children to basic counting as the tricky monkey climbs up on top. Each page incrementally adds more monkeys, encouraging children to count along.
Real-World Application: Children can apply these counting skills during play, like counting toys or steps, reinforcing their mathematical understanding in everyday situations.
Example Lesson: Teamwork
Explanation: The monkeys must work together to balance and support each other as more join the adventure on top, illustrating the importance of cooperation.
Real-World Application: This can be reflected in a child’s life during group activities at school or play, teaching them to collaborate effectively with others to achieve a common goal.
Example Lesson: Problem Solving
Explanation: As the stack of monkeys grows, they encounter challenges that require quick thinking and teamwork to resolve, showcasing problem-solving skills.
Real-World Application: Children learn to think critically and develop solutions when they face puzzles or conflicts during playtime or in academic settings.
Example Lesson: Perseverance
Explanation: Despite difficulties and the increasing height, the monkeys persist in trying to reach the top, demonstrating resilience.
Real-World Application: This teaches children the value of persisting with a task even when it becomes challenging, whether it’s completing a puzzle, learning a new skill, or building a project.