UncoveredMyths reviewed Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls
Review of 'Summer of the Monkeys' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
What ages would I recommend it too? – Eight and up.
Length? – A two to three day read.
Characters? – Memorable, five main human characters, a dog, and a pack of monkeys.
Setting? – Semi realistic, Oklahoma, 1800's.
Written approximately? – 1976.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – Ready to read more.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Yes. The front cover flap states "set in rural Oklahoma around the turn of the century". Wrong century. Also, since this is set so far back, at first we think it is before motor vehicles, until the truck arrives to pick up the monkeys. Maybe a bit more clarification on that opening flap. Today's young readers would want to know first, where the insurance and disability services are, and why social services haven't forced the family to find a way to help …
What ages would I recommend it too? – Eight and up.
Length? – A two to three day read.
Characters? – Memorable, five main human characters, a dog, and a pack of monkeys.
Setting? – Semi realistic, Oklahoma, 1800's.
Written approximately? – 1976.
Does the story leave questions in the readers mind? – Ready to read more.
Any issues the author (or a more recent publisher) should cover? Yes. The front cover flap states "set in rural Oklahoma around the turn of the century". Wrong century. Also, since this is set so far back, at first we think it is before motor vehicles, until the truck arrives to pick up the monkeys. Maybe a bit more clarification on that opening flap. Today's young readers would want to know first, where the insurance and disability services are, and why social services haven't forced the family to find a way to help the sister.
Short storyline: An active young boy has a sister with a crippled leg. He finds a way to make money to get the horse and gun he wants. It simply involves capturing a pack of escaped monkeys. He has a lot fun, and tears, trying to do so. In the end, they come willingly, and return to the circus they escaped from. The boy's grandfather brings two ponies for him to choose. He, and his faithful dog, choose the crippled pony, who also chooses him. Then, he changes his mind, and gives the money to his parents, along with his grandparents money to take his sister to get her leg fixed.
Notes for the reader: A beautiful story! It will clean out your sinuses.
Notes for writers reading the story: Yes, the author has the sister address her brother with his first and middle name every time she speaks to him, slightly annoying, and yet, most of the time when she does it, it would naturally be that way. Yes, the tense is frequently an out of style tense. The author will use "was listening" instead of "listened." Personally, "was listening" to me, means I am in the characters mind, and going along with them. To use "listened" to me distances me. It reminds me someone is telling me something that happened in the past. Of course, I am working to use the currently popular distancing technique of "listened" over the up close and personal in the now, "was listening" in my works so they can be published.