Jeff Mack has a new series-  Mr. Monkey.  Mr. Monkey is visually appealing slap-stick. Since this is book #1 , the numeral one is replaced with the icon of a single banana. The end-papers are filled with the images of single bananas.

Mr. Monkey sets out to make a banana cake. While he mixes the ingredients, he eats bananas. Oops, he forgot to peel the bananas he put into his cake. Oops, by the time the cake is finished Mr. Monkey has eaten so many bananas he is full, but slips one last banana into his pocket. Then, his email chimes  on his computer. There is a cake show where he can win a ribbon! Off Mr. Monkey goes to the cake show. As he walks to the cake show crossing the streets, escaping hungry birds (with teeth), a dog, and a gorilla at the zoo, Mr. Monkey arrives too late to enter the cake for a ribbon. Oh, No! The gorilla has followed Mr. Monkey to the cake show. The gorilla is chasing Mr. Monkey around creating a mess of the other cakes. Frosting is everywhere. Mr. Monkey is face to face with the angry gorilla. Oh! Mr. Monkey remembers he has a banana in his pocket. Gorillas like bananas, too. As Mr. Monkey leaves the cake show, he slips on the banana peel landing face first in his cake.

“Mr. Monkey Bakes a Cake” is silly, yet endearing!