Summer of the Monkeys Paperback – February 1, 1992

Fourteen-year-old Jay Berry Lee lives on a farm in the Cherokee Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma with his father Bob, mother Sara, slightly younger twin sister Daisy who was born with her right leg all twisted up, and blue-tick hound Rowdy. Just three miles down the road live Jay Berry's Grandpa, a storekeeper, and Grandma. Mr. and Mrs. Lee had been sharecroppers in Missouri, but Grandpa traded for some land near his store and gave it to them. Jay Berry's parents and grandparents both are saving up money so that Daisy can have surgery on her leg. Set in the very late 1800s, the book tells the story of one summer in Jay Berry's life when the two things he wanted most were a pony and a .22 rifle. One day while searching for Sally Gooden, their runaway milk cow, Jay Berry finds a bunch of monkeys loose in the river bottom. Learning from Grandpa that the animals had escaped from a circus during a train wreck and that a reward was offered for them, Jay Berry sets out to capture them so he can get the money for his pony and rifle. With advice and help from Grandpa, he tries trapping them, but that fails. Next, he tries using a special butterfly net to catch them, but they attack and chase him home. Then he tries to be friendly, but he finds them at a still and they offer him sour mash that gets him drunk. After that, he and Grandpa try using coconuts and a trap cage, but the monkeys steal all the coconuts when they stop to get a drink at a spring. How can Jay Berry capture the monkeys? Will he ever get his pony and .22? Or is there something more important? Author Wilson Rawls, whose most famous book is Where the Red Fern Grows, grew up on a small farm in the Cherokee Ozarks. We had seen a video of the 1998 Walt Disney film version of Summer of the Monkeys starring Wilford Brimley and Corey Sevier, and liked it. The book is certainly a funny and heartwarming story, not really about monkeys but primarily about Jay Berry's realization of what matters most in life. There are some common euphemisms (darn, heck, golly, and doggone it) and one place where Jay Berry heard some "cuss words" from men at his Grandpa's store, but no actual cuss words are used and Jay Berry says that he never used cuss words. Some might object to the scene where Jay Berry gets drunk, but it is an accident and he gets so sick that he decides never to drink alcohol again! There are references to tobacco use, probably consistent with the setting, but Bible reading and faith in God are an important part of the Lee's family life. And the multi-generational affection is very touching. Jay Berry tells his Grandpa, "Grandpa, we sure have a lot of fun together don't we?" Grandpa replies, "We surely do. You know, an old man like me can teach a young boy like you all the good things in life. But it takes a young boy like you to teach an old man like me to appreciate all the good things of life. I guess that's what life's all about." I found it a truly satisfying book.

My grandson loved it so much that he read it in two days. Its companion book is “Where the Red Fern Grows.” Both are excellent.

I give this book 5 STARSBook in a nutshell: Relationship, Life Lessons, Dreams, and Hard WorkThe same author who wrote "Where the Red Fern Grows" does it again. When you read this book it makes you feel like you are in the Ozark Mountains. I have added this destination to my bucket list after reading this book.Below are some quotes that I feel summarize what this book is all about.RelationshipsWe can learn a lot from one another. The question is will we take the time to do so? Young or old. We can encourage, equip, and challenge one another to help steer us in the right direction. Imagine if our lives were dedicated to equipping and empowering each other?"Grandpa smiled and said, 'We surely do. You know, an old man like me can teach a young boy like you all the good things in life. But it takes a young boy like you to teach an old man like me to appreciate all the good things in life. I guess that’s what life’s all about'.”Working HardSo much now we as a culture just expect things to happen for us. That is the farthest thing from the truth and the scariest thing that we are teaching our kids. Work hard. Don't give up. When things get tough because they will, keep working."I sure do, Papa said, nodding his head. I believe a boy can have anything in life that he wants once he starts working for it. The main thing is not to give up. It makes no difference how tough things get, just bow your back, keep working, and put your heart and soul into it. As you go along your way, live a good clean life, don’t hurt anyone or anything, and always be honest. It doesn’t hurt to pray a little, too."Dreams and WishesI love to dream. I love to make wishes. I love to pray for BIG things. That isn't enough though. We have to help the wish. That is the hardest part but also the best part. It shows and develops your true character."But I do believe that any wish you make can come true if you help the wish. I don’t think that the Lord meant for our lives to be so simple and easy that every time we wanted something, all we had to do was wish for it and we’d get it. I don’t believe that at all. If that were true, there would be a lot of lazy people in this old world. No one would be working. Everyone would be wishing for what they needed or wanted.”This book was a great read. I highly recommend this book for any age. Would be a great book to read as a family.Follow me on Goodreads!

Unusual, yet interesting tale set in the late 1800s in northeastern Oklahoma in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains is about a 14 year old boy (who happens to have a twin sister name Daisey). The novel basically centers around Jay's 'insistent desire', that is Encouraged by his grandfather, to go After and just CAPTURE (DO NOT KILL) the monkeys.There is a 'big reward' for the monkeys being that they had recently escaped from a circus train wreck. The writing in this book is in a similar style as is in Where The Red Fern Grows. This is also a relatively decent "coming of age" story, and also includes many metaphors as well as similes to express ideas within the novel. There are also quite a few scriptural references as well. This is a Very Recommended Read ! !

good transaction

I ordered this book because my class read it in the 4th grade. The product was in good condition but one thing bugged me a little. the product review said that it was in very good condition, which it was. But on the top right of the cover is a name on it. I'm not complaining much, I am just happy I got this classic book from my childhood. the book came in excellent time and I couldn't be happier!

This is a great story for kids about a boy his dog and a summer adventure in the Ozark Mountains in the late 1800’s. We used it as a read out loud book and the kids loved it ! Would highly recommend!

Good read for kids of age 14 and “kids” above 60!Must have if you are a collector

Great book with something happening to keep a young listener/reader entertained.

Dieses Buch hatte ich zum ersten Mal unter dem deutschen Titel "Eigentlich hätte es ein herrlicher Sommertag werden können, wenn da nicht morgens das Ding mit der Kuh Sally passiert wäre..." gelesen (wer kann bei solch einem Titel schon widerstehen?)Es hat mich damals bezaubert, und heute, nachdem ich nach langem Stöbern die englische Ausgabe gefunden habe, tut es das immer noch.Es handelt von einer Farmersfamilie in den Ozarks, erzählt aus Sicht des heranwachsenden Jungen der Familie, dessen bester Freund sein Hund ist. Es handelt von Wünschen, von Träumen, wie man sie wohl nur in ganz früher Jugend hat, von Liebe, Verständnis, Akzeptanz, und letztendlich vom Erwachsenwerden. Es ist sehr lustig, ohne albern zu sein, und sehr weise, ohne belehrend zu sein.Es ist ein Buch, das - zumindest bei mir war es so - lange im Gedächtnis bleibt.

Good read - but the paper quality of the paperback is much less than what is desired.