Baby Monkey, Private Eye

by Brian Selznick, Brian Selznick (Illustrator), David Serlin

Overview

Caldecott Medalist Brian Selznick and debut children's book author David Serlin create a dazzling new format especially for young children!

A New York Times Bestselling BookAn Amazon Best Book of the YearA Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the YearParents Magazine Best Early Reader of the Year"A marvel." —The New York Times"Inventive... fabulously expressive..." —San Francisco ChronicleWho is Baby Monkey? He is a baby.He is a monkey.He has a job.He is Baby Monkey, Private Eye!Lost jewels? Missing pizza? Stolen spaceship? Baby Monkey can help...if he can put on his pants!Baby Monkey's adventures come to life in an exciting blend of picture book, beginning reader, and graphic novel. With pithy text and over 120 black and white drawings accented with red, it is ideal for sharing aloud and for emerging readers.Hooray for Baby Monkey!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338180619
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	02/27/2018
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	168,311
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Brian Selznick’s books have sold millions of copies, garnered countless awards worldwide, and been translated into more than 35 languages. He broke open the novel form with his innovative and genre-defying thematic trilogy, beginning with the Caldecott Medal-winning #1 New York Times bestseller The Invention of Hugo Cabret, adapted into Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning movie Hugo. He followed that with the #1 New York Times bestseller, Wonderstruck, adapted into the eponymous movie by celebrated filmmaker Todd Haynes, with a screenplay by Selznick, and the New York Times bestseller, The Marvels. Selznick’s two most recent books for young people, Baby Monkey, Private Eye, an ALA Notable Book co-written with his husband David Serlin, and Kaleidoscope, a New York Times Notable Children’s Book of 2021, were both New York Times bestsellers as well. He also illustrated the 20th anniversary edition covers of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. Selznick and Serlin divide their time between Brooklyn, New York and La Jolla, California. Learn more at thebrianselznick.com and mediaroom.scholastic.com/brianselznick.
David Serlin is a writer, editor, and historian who teaches at the University of California, San Diego. He is the author or editor of numerous books and articles for adults, as well as the co-author of the highly acclaimed Baby Monkey, Private Eye.Brian and David divide their time between Brooklyn, New York and San Diego, California.

Hometown:

Brooklyn, New York, and San Diego, California

Date of Birth:

July 14, 1966

Place of Birth:

New Jersey

Education:

Rhode Island School of Design

Website:

http://theinventionofhugocabret.com/index.htm

Editorial Reviews

Baby Monkey is heavily illustrated and has minimal text that is simple and repetitive, perfect for new readers ready for a "big kid" book. It's small in dimension but hefty at 192 pages, with chapters, a hilarious index and a faux bibliography…Selznick's black-and-white illustrations lend a gritty film noir feel—a delightful contrast with the adorableness of Baby Monkey…and as in Selznick's previous books, [they] are a marvel.

The New York Times Book Review - Victoria Jamieson

★ 11/20/2017
A nearly 200-page chapter book for emerging readers? Using a pared-down vocabulary and luxuriant, chiaroscuro drawings, Selznick (The Marvels) and husband Serlin make it work—brilliantly. Four oddball robbery victims show up at Baby Monkey’s Sam Spade–worthy office, including a chef whose pizza has gone missing and a clown who has had his red nose stolen. Baby Monkey’s basic MO is always the same: look for clues, take notes, eat a snack, put on pants, and solve the crime (generally by looking right outside his office door). The tight, repeating structure gives Selznick plenty of opportunity to riff on the details: in each chapter, Baby Monkey has a different (and triumphant) wrestling match with his pants, and the furnishings of his office change to match the profession of each client (for those who can’t guess these Easter eggs, a key and index are included). “Hooray for Baby Monkey!” are the last words of this endearingly funny graphic novel/picture book/early reader—it’s a sentiment that readers of all ages will wholeheartedly affirm. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

Distinctions and Praise for Baby Monkey, Private Eye:A New York Times Bestselling BookAn Amazon Best Book of the YearA Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the YearParents Magazine Best Early Reader of the YearA BookPage Best Book of the YearA News & Observer Best Book of the Year"A marvel." —The New York Times"Inventive... fabulously expressive..." —San Francisco Chronicle"...exceedingly cute..." —The Wall Street Journal"Silly, endearing, and adventurous..." —The Washington Post"Another boundary-buster." —San Diego Union Tribute"Exquisite... [a] one-of-a-kind beginning reader..." —Bookpage"Genre-defying entertainment... stupendous..." —The Buffalo News* "Irresistible." —Booklist, starred review* "[An] endearingly funny graphic novel/picture book/early reader." —Publishers Weekly, starred review* "Selznick and Serlin take the easy reader format to new creative heights....The sharp pacing and charming humor also make it an excellent read-aloud choice....as funny as it is elegant. This will be enjoyed equally by youngsters and their grown-ups." —School Library Journal, starred review* "Kids will forget they are learning to read, focusing instead on the comic bits, persistence, and vulnerability of an endearing hero." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "New readers will delight in the details... and the spot-on slapstick pacing of the putting-on-pants sequences will have viewers giggling for days." —The Horn Book, starred review* "Repetition of words brings this within reach of timid readers, while the absurdity expands the appeal... It's the detailed full spreads, however, that stop the show and cinematically change the pace, especially the ones set in Baby Monkey's atmospheric office... The book is therefore a delight for reading together or alone, and the weight of the volume will provide considerable satisfaction to novice readers..." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review"A good choice for all libraries and classrooms as a confidence booster for beginning readers." —School Library Connection, recommendedAwards and Praise for The Invention of Hugo Cabret:2008 Caldecott Medal winnerNational Book Award Finalist#1 New York Times BestsellerNew York Times Best Illustrated BookLos Angeles Times Favorite Children's Book of the YearTIME Magazine's 100 Best Children's and Young Adult Books of All Time"Evokes wonder . . . like a silent film on paper." — The New York Times"A fast-paced treat." — People Magazine"Distinctive." — The Wall Street Journal"Cinematic." — Parenting Magazine"Captivating." — Los Angeles Times Book Review"If your kid loves the J.K. Rowling series, then [they are] bound to enjoy The Invention of Hugo Cabret. . ." — Good Housekeeping* "A true masterpiece."— Publishers Weekly, starred review* "Fade to black and cue the applause!" — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Complete genius." — The Horn Book, starred review* "Breathtaking . . . shatters conventions." — School Library Journal, starred review* "An original and creative integration of art and text." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review"Visually stunning . . . raises the bar." — San Antonio Express-NewsAwards and Praise for Wonderstruck:#1 New York Times BestsellerNew York Times Notable Children's BookALA Notable Children's BookParents' Choice Gold WinnerPublishers Weekly Best Book "Engrossing, intelligent, beautifully engineered and expertly told in word and image." — The New York Times Book Review"Moving and ingenious . . ." — The Wall Street Journal"Brian Selznick proves to be that rare creator capable of following one masterpiece—The Invention of Hugo Cabret—with another even more brilliantly executed." — The Washington Post"Another entrancing, exquisitely illustrated novel . . . Older kids and adults alike will be mesmerized by the interlocking stories. A verbal and visual marvel." — Family Circle* "A gift for the eye, mind, and heart." — Booklist, starred review* "Visually stunning, completely compelling." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "Innovative . . . has the makings of a classic." — Publishers Weekly, starred review* "A thing of wonder to behold . . . an emotional experience that neither the words nor the illustrations could achieve on their own." — School Library Journal,starred reviewPraise for The Marvels:New York Times BestsellerNew York Times Notable Children's BookAn Indie Bound #1 National BestsellerGuardian Children's Book Prize FinalistPublishers Weekly Best Book* "Selznick continues his quest to shake up notions of illustrated novels, wordless storytelling, and the intersection of text and pictures in this newest volume . . . The novel as a whole is exactly the sort of theater that is so lovingly described within." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review* "Caldecott Medalist Selznick has been creating acclaimed illustrated novels for years now, and his latest takes his groundbreaking narrative format to new heights . . . [this] warm, affecting family tale is bittersweet, astonishing, and truly marvelous." — Booklist, starred review* ". . . epic theater celebrating mysteries of the heart and spirit." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review* "[A] powerful story about creating lasting art and finding family in unexpected places." — Publishers Weekly, starred review* "Memorable, momentous." — School Library Journal, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 01/01/2018
PreS-Gr 1—Selznick and Serlin take the easy reader format to new creative heights. Baby Monkey may be a baby (and a monkey) but he has a full-time job as a private eye. Baby Monkey solves five cases (one for each chapter) by looking carefully for visual clues. Full-page illustrations facing single, simple, and often repetitive sentences in an oversized typeface make this ideal for emerging readers. The sharp pacing and charming humor also make it an excellent read-aloud choice. Selznick's signature black-and-white drawings—his noir-like style here played up to full effect—invite readers to linger and look carefully. With each case, the framed paintings and various bric-a-brac decorating Baby Monkey's well-appointed office changes. Hidden clues and jokes abound, as in "The Case of the Missing Spaceship," wherein the opening two-page spread shows a framed poster of A Trip to the Moon (a hat tip to devoted Selznick fans), an image of Apollo 13, a portrait of Galileo Galilei, and a bust of John F. Kennedy. Will most of these references sail over the heads of the intended audience? Perhaps. But the story works just as well without them, and Selznick and Serlin take pains to make sure young readers have enough information to look them up if they are so inclined; the "Key to Baby Monkey's Office" in the back matter lists each visual reference by chapter/case. A running gag about Baby Monkey forgetting to wear—and struggling to put on—pants will have readers cracking up. In the very last case, the primate private eye jumps into the loving arms of his mom and takes a well-earned nap. VERDICT A delightful easy reader that is as funny as it is elegant. This will be enjoyed equally by youngsters and their grown-ups.—Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

★ 2017-11-22
In five chapters spanning almost 200 pages, Selznick—here working with husband Serlin—manages to do for the early reader what he accomplished with the picture book: reinvent it. The narrative unfolds in finely wrought, crosshatched compositions drawn in pencil and introducing the color red to reward readers as they hunt for stolen objects alongside the pint-sized simian detective. Though he's as successful as his hard-boiled, cinematic counterparts, Baby Monkey is still a youngster, so after each client arrives for consultation, he playfully peers through his magnifying glass, scribbles findings, nibbles snacks, and attempts to dress himself. This structure provides the repetition that, when paired with brief sentences, visual clues, a large typeface, and clear dialogue bubbles, serves the format extremely well. Impish expressions and oversized trousers will amuse the audience throughout each of the several-page wardrobe sequences. Preceding each knock on the door is an office "scene change" inviting viewers to analyze objects and predict the visitor's identity; for example, and in a nod to The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the iconic image from Georges Méliès' A Trip to the Moon heralds an astronaut. An oversized bonnet and dress shroud the final guest in mystery until the loving denouement. Not to be missed are the sendups of a bibliography and index, and adult readers will enjoy the visual keys to the clues planted in Baby Monkey's office.Wrapped in the chiaroscuro of film noir, kids will forget they are learning to read, focusing instead on the comic bits, persistence, and vulnerability of an endearing hero. (Early reader. 4-9)

Kirkus Reviews