Synopsis
George and the man with the yellow hat are going camping! George tries to be helpful, but after he upsets a neighboring camper, he is chased into the woods and gets lost. Before long, an encounter with a cute forest creature throws George into a chain of outrageous events that allows him to find a way to be helpful after all.
Hans Augusto Rey was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1898. As a child, he spent much of his free time in that city's famous Hagenbeck Zoo drawing animals. After serving in the army during World War I, he studied philology and natural science at the University of Hamburg. He then married Margret Rey and they moved to Montmartre for four years. The manuscript for the first Curious George books was one of the few items the Reys carried with them on their bicycles when they escaped from Paris in 1940. Eventually, they made their way to the United States, and Curious George was published in 1941. Curious George has been published in many languages, including French, German, Japanese, Afrikaans, and Norwegian. Additional Curious George books followed, as well as such other favorites as CECILY G. AND THE NINE MONKEYS and FIND THE CONSTELLATIONS.
Children's Literature
George is up to his old tricks. Children will be amazed at all the mischief he makes on this camping trip. Like small children, George has a short attention span. When he is asked to retrieve a bucket of water at the campsite, he doesn't get very far. George's adventures eventually end when a skunk sprays him and he tries to get rid of the smell. George climbs a tree and sees a forest fire. He grabs his bucket, fills it with water, and douses the fire. As always, George redeems himself. The story and illustrations live up to the Curious George legacy. Children will enjoy this book, and undoubtedly, identify with this lively monkey. 1999, Houghton Mifflin, Ages 2 to 6, $12.00, $7.95 and $3.95. Reviewer: Jeanne K. Pettenati