Fiction - Animals - Mammals, Poetry - Rhymes, Nursery Rhymes & Fingerplays, Poetry - Basic Concepts & Education, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous, Fiction - Basic Concepts

Cha-Cha Chimps

Name: Cha-Cha Chimps
Author: Julia Durango
ISBN: 9780689864568

by Julia Durango, Eleanor Taylor

Available on Bookshop Write a review

Books.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.

Overview

Counting and dancing gohand in hand at Mambo Jamba's,

the place where hippos hokey-pokey and meerkats macarena

and ten little chimps do the

Cha -- Cha -- Cha

until Mama Chimps says,

"Time for bed!"

Synopsis

Counting and dancing gohand in hand at Mambo Jamba's,

the place where hippos hokey-pokey and meerkats macarena

and ten little chimps do the

Cha -- Cha -- Cha

until Mama Chimps says,

"Time for bed!"

Publishers Weekly

Durango's (Dream Hop) tale stars a cast of childlike chimps who are more interested in dancing the night away than catching their zzz's. "Deep in the forest in the dim moonlight,/ ten little chimps sneak out for the night." They head to Mambo Jamba's, a hoppin' club where the chimps trade in their PJs for "boogie-woogie pants" and strut their stuff. Rhyming couplets chronicle the group's adventure as one by one they take new dance partners (and try new dance steps), and the refrain counts down from 10 to one ("Lion struts around/ like the royal king of cool./ But five minutes later/ he's a jitterbugging fool./ ee-ee-oo-oo-ah-ah-ah!/ 7 little chimps do the/ cha-cha-cha"). Taylor's (Chicken in the Kitchen) watercolors play a dual role: they cast a soft, moonlit glow on the dancers, while lending an extra vibe of excitement to their fancy footwork. Even when the music comes to a halt with the arrival of Mama Chimp, Durango still portrays the parent as someone who can appreciate a good time-after she tucks in her chimps, Mama dons her own dancing shoes. Ages 2-6. (Feb.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

About the Author, Julia Durango

Julia Durango resides in Ottawa, Illinois, where she wrote a weekly book review column for children. She is the mother of two sons and is the author of Dream Hop, her first picture books with Simon and Schuster, illustrated by Jared Leeher as well as Pest Fest, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus.Her most recent picture book was Go-Go Gorillas, a sequel to Cha-Cha Chimps, both illustrated by Eleanor Taylor. Her first novel The Walls of Cartagena was published in fall 2008 and was a Junior Library Guild Selection. Her second novel, Sea of the Dead was published in Summer 2009. She is a contributor the Three Silly Chicks blog and lives in Ottawa, Illinois.

Eleanor Taylor is the internationally beloved illustrator of numerous picture books, including Chicken in the Kitchen by Tony Johnston. Ellie and her husband live in London, England, with a son who isn't quite old enough to run around chattering like a monkey -- but maybe this book will change that.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet. Log in to write one.

Editorials

Publishers Weekly

Children's Literature

This hilarious story will have all wanting to dance along with the "ee-ee- oo-oo- ah-ah-ah! 10 little chimps [that] do the cha-cha-cha." These ten chimps sneak out of bed and go to "Mambo Jamba's where they dance, dance, dance." As other animals start to come and do other dances, one by one the chimps stop cha-cha-chaing to join them. For example, one chimp joins Hippo when "Hippo hams it up as he tells the crowd a joke. He makes them roar some more when he starts to hokey-poke." This story is perfect for teaching small "chimps" about counting down, about different dances, or even just having fun as a great read-aloud. The pictures perfectly complement the beat of the story (from the movement of each character to the details of how they are portrayed--Zebra has painted green stripes because she is an "Irish clogging queen"). After Mama Chimp comes to take the chimps home, she sneaks off to "cha cha cha." No one can resist these chimps. 2006, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Ages 2 to 6.
—Joella Peterson

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-In this rollicking counting book, 10 little chimps sneak out of their tree house to go dancing at Mambo Jamba's, where a pig band plays music all night long. One by one, each monkey jives with a different jungle animal, and a rhythmic verse describes that particular creature's style ("Rhino hustles in/just to prove he's got the groove./Shake it, Rhino! Shake it, boy!/Let's see that body move"). Meanwhile, the remaining siblings boogie to the repeated refrain ("ee-ee-/oo-oo-/ah-ah-ah!/9 little chimps do the/cha-cha-cha"). The rhymes roll easily off the tongue, making the text fun to read aloud. However, there is no indication-either verbal or visual-of where each chimp goes as the book counts down from 10 to 1, but they all reappear at the end when Mama Chimp arrives to take them home. Once they are tucked in bed, she calls a babysitter so that she can put on her own dancing shoes. Done in watercolor and pencil, the illustrations are bright and lively, and each chimp is clothed in a unique and colorful outfit. The jungle animals are also fabulously costumed. All in all, the cha-cha-cha chant and upbeat artwork make this book a good storytime addition.-Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Deep in the forest, ten little chimps sneak out to Mamba Jamba's for some dancing: "ee-ee-oo-oo-ah-ah-ah! 10 little chimps do the cha-cha-cha." But the other denizens of the forest have different favorite dances. As each new animal, from rhino to giraffe to ostrich joins the party doing a different dance, one monkey dances off to join in. Just when there's only one monkey left, Mama chimp bursts in to take her brood home. After they are safely tucked in and the sitter's called, however, Mama returns to the dance hall for her own cha-cha-cha. Durango's dancing rhyme is infectious. Creative minds might worry that the chimps are being picked off for dinner since lion, cheetah and cobra are three of the first animals, but they're just looking for dance partners. Taylor's cartoon watercolors virtually boogie off the page. A nice addition for storytimes about monkeys or music. (Picture book. 2-6)