Grumpy Monkey
Grumpy Monkey Book Summary
Jim encounters many forest creatures along his journey, all of which seek to know the source of his terrible mood. Even though Jim’s animal friends have offered him lots of suggestions, he insists he is not being grumpy.
Jim meets the friendly gorilla Norman first, then a snake, then a lemur, stork, small birds, zebras, and many more jungle friends. In the end, Jim tries to show that he is not grumpy by following the advice of the various animals. However, Jim discovers that his face is now giving the false impression that he is happy, even though Jim is, in fact, having a bad day.
Later in the day, when Jim runs into Norman the gorilla again, the gorilla is equally grumpy. This is when the two friends have an ah, ha moment and realize that it’s OK to have a bad day now and then which makes them both feel better!
This is an excellent book series for children who are struggling with their emotions. They learn that it’s normal to experience negative emotions and that there are ways to cope with them. If you’re a parent or educator in search of a great children’s book, I strongly suggest this series.
Grumpy Monkey Reading Level
The reading level for the Grumpy Monke book is for grade levels preschool to grade 2. Most customers of the book find that it is suitable for children between the ages of 2 to 5 years old.
Grumpy Monkey is an ideal book series for kids looking to improve their reading skills. The Grumpy Monkey books are a series of books that follow the adventures of a monkey who is always grumpy. In each book, the monkey learns a valuable lesson that helps him to become a better monkey.
These books are perfect for kids who are just learning to read, or for those who need a little extra help with their reading skills. Grumpy Monkey books are a great way to teach kids the importance of being kind, helpful, and considerate.
Grumpy Monkey Book Characters
Jim is the main character of the bestselling picture book Grumpy Monkey book series. He is a monkey who is always grumpy. Even when good things happen to him, he can’t help but be grumpy. His friends try to cheer him up, but it’s never easy. Grumpy Monkey is a character that kids can relate to. He helps them understand that it’s okay to be grumpy sometimes.
The main characters in the book include:
- Jim Panzee (main character)
- Norman (a gorilla)
- Marabou (stork)
- Lemur
- Snake
- Flock of birds
- Zebras
- Peacock
- Lion
- Elephant
- Hippo
- Otter
- Hyena
- Alligator
- Bear
- Frog
- Porcupine
About Suzanne Lang
Suzanne Lang is a children’s book author and television producer from the United States. Her husband, illustrator Max Lang, is a frequent collaborator. Her book Grumpy Monkey, which was released in May of 2018, debuted at #8 on The New York Times bestseller list and quickly rose to #1.
Suzanne Lang is a television producer in addition to being an author. She previously worked for Cartoon Network and is now the story editor of an animated comedy series for Cake Entertainment and Copa Studios. Suzanne graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in film and television. When she is not working on books, Suzanne writes and produces animated television series.
Suzanne Lang doesn’t have a website, though she does have a FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/SuzanneMaxLang/
Suzanne Lang Books
Below is a list of Suzanne Lang in English. There are a few books she has written in other languages like German, Spanish, French, and even Chinese that are not included in the list below.
- Grumpy Monkey Don’t Be Scared (Jul 11, 2023)
- Grumpy Monkey Valentine Gross-Out (Nov 29, 2022)
- Grumpy Monkey Who Threw That? (Sep 27, 2022)
- Grumpy Monkey Are We There Yet? (May 03, 2022)
- Grumpy Monkey Party Time! (Oct 15, 2019)
- Grumpy Monkey Oh, No! Christmas (Sep 14, 2021)
- Grumpy Monkey Ready, Set, Bananas! (Sep 7, 2021)
- Grumpy Monkey Get Your Grumps Out (Sep 7, 2021)
- Grumpy Monkey Freshly Squeezed (Jun 29, 2021)
- Grumpy Monkey Up All Night (Sep 29, 2020)
- Grumpy Monkey’s Little Book of Grumpiness (Sep 29, 2020)
- Grumpy Monkey (May 15, 2018)
- All Kinds of Families (Oct 1, 2019)
- Hooray for Kids (Mar 15, 2016)
- Families, Families, Families! (Mar 24, 2015)
- Displaced Donkeys: A Guernsey Family’s War (Nov 30, 2009)
- 3 Adventures on Deckawoo Drive
- Two for One
Max Lang Illustrator & Film Director
Over the course of his career, Max Lang, husband to author Suzanne Lang has illustrated more than 20 books, including the entirety of the Grumpy Monkey series. Filmmaking is his primary creative outlet outside of writing books.
He has worked as a co-director on a number of animated films, some of which include The Gruffalo, Zog, Room on the Broom, and The Snail and the Whale. For his work in the film industry, he has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades, including a BAFTA, two Emmys, and two Oscar nominations.
Learn To Draw Grumpy Monkey’s Jim Panzee
In this short 4:34 video author and illustrator Ma Lang shows how to draw the main character Jim Panzee in the Grumpy Monkey series.
Where to Buy Grumpy Monkey Book
Grumpy Monkey is available on Amazon for Kindle, hardcover, and board books. This link below leads to the hardcover edition but all options are available on the landing page.
| Amazon.com (Hardcover) | Grumpy Monkey Hardcover – Picture Book, May 15, 2018 |
| Authors Amazon BIO Page | Purchase More Suzanne Lang Books on Amazon |
Book Details
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; Illustrated edition (May 15, 2018)
Language: English
Hardcover: 32 pages
ISBN-10: 0553537865
ISBN-13: 978-0553537864
Reading age: 2 – 5 years, from customers
Lexile measure: AD460L
Grade level: Preschool – 2
Item Weight: 13.6 ounces
Dimensions: 10.31 x 0.31 x 10.31 inches
Grumpy Monkey Reviews
At the time of this writing, there were over 23,000 consumer reviews on Amazon with a star rating of 4.8 out of 5. 87% of reviewers gave the book a 5-star rating. Below are a couple of the top reviews of the book.
Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2022, on Amazon.com
– By SAD1
I loved this book and so did my 27mo. It’s ok to be grumpy sometimes and to know it too shall pass.
Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2022, on Amazon.com
– By Sam
We read this to our infant daughter when she’s crabby, probably for us as much as for her. I really love this book as an individual who has depression and anxiety because it really touches on the frustrating part of mental health when others attempt to label your emotions or fix your current state rather than trying to be empathic. I would love to see more books about emotional intelligence.
Cute story. Cute pig. Nutty couple. Wild chase. Great illustrations. Yep, I’d say kids will love it!
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2022, on Amazon.com
– By Sloan
As a mom and kinder teacher I love this book and have given it as a gift several times. It covers a wide range of emotions and teaches kids that it’s okay to be grumpy and it’s okay not to know why. Sometimes we just rely on our friends. Highly recommend.
Grumpy Monkey Read Aloud
Below is a great 7:38 video of Grumpy Monkey read-aloud by the narrator of Mr. Peach Reads Aloud YouTube channel showcasing the actual pages and illustrations of the book.
If you prefer a female narrator, the Fallon the Storyteller channel’s slightly shorter 6:50 read-aloud narration is also well done.
