Classics Corner: Curious George

Monkey read, monkey run

Hello everyone! I feel like it’s been a while since I did a proper check-in. It’s the height of summer and where I am we have been mired in heatwave after heatwave. So even though I love the beautiful long sunny days, much of the day it’s appreciated behind a window. You can’t have everything I guess?

I don’t know that I had too many grand plans but I expected to do a little more than we have. Regrettably, even with nothing specific planned, I still feel we’ve done less than I intended. Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with sickness and lots of solo parenting which means, frankly, I’m tired. Between that and the heat, all I want to do is lie down and appreciate the wonderful technology that is the AC.

We still have half the summer to go so who knows what wild shenanigans we’ll get up to (we won’t)!

How is your summer going so far? Is it living up to your expectations?

Don’t forget—you still have a few days left to participate in Week 2 of the Summer Reading Challenge!

Curious George

Written and Illustrated by H. A. Rey and Margret Rey

Recommended Ages: 3-6 years old

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We’re first introduced to George in his native habitat in Africa. George lives the good life: swinging from trees and enjoying fresh bananas. We’re told he is a curious monkey so he is intrigued by the yellow hat a white man is wearing. The white man, too, is curious about George and decides he’d like nothing better than to take George home with him to a zoo. Using his yellow hat to entrap him, the man captures George and they set sail for a big city.

When George and the man get settled in the big city, the man phones the zoo and then goes away (presumably to make arrangements for George). Having never seen a phone, George decides to use it. Accidentally, he calls the fire department who rush to the house and find no fire, just a “naughty monkey.” They chase him, capture him, and haul him away to prison because he “fooled” the fire department.

George is understandably miserable in prison but as a monkey, he’s able to use his natural abilities and make an escape. Eventually, through a series of events, George is reunited with the man with the yellow hat. The man and George climb into a car and are off to the zoo where George is settled and (presumably) happy.

H. A. and Margret Rey (Source: Wikipedia)

A Short History Lesson

The Reys, husband-and-wife duo, invented George while they were living in Paris. The two had met as children in their home city of Hamburg, Germany. Many years later, they met in Rio de Janeiro, where they both were living and fell in love. A few years after the Jewish couple married they returned to Europe and settled in Paris—it was the late 1930s and things were taking a turn in Europe.

The duo were working on the manuscript of the first Curious George book when it became clear to them that they could no longer stay in Paris. Mere hours before Paris fell to the Nazis, the Reys left Paris. Carrying just a few items with them—including their Curious George manuscript—the couple fled Paris on bicycles and headed for safety. They briefly returned to Rio de Janeiro before heading to New York City.

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Real Talk

Living in modern, contemporary times, I find myself struggling to reconcile what was acceptable in the early 1900s with today. It feels unfair to hold that society to today’s standards—but even so, there’s human decency and dignity and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to assume (no matter the time) that stealing someone away from their home is bad. Even the authors of Curious George mention how sad the monkey is when he’s stolen away.

This was my first time reading the book. I’ve never particularly been drawn to Curious George. It wasn’t a series my parents were familiar with so I wasn’t introduced to it at an early age. Reading this story gave me a visceral reaction—I could feel my stomach churning and my body clenching up. This book works for children because their innocence protects them.

The similarities to slavery in this book are stark and utterly obvious. First of all, Africa is treated as a monolith given no credit for its vast diversity of countries and cultures. Then we witness a man (a white man) see something he likes (a monkey), decide he wants it, and set out to capture him so he can sell it to a zoo. This is slavery.

Then there’s the striking cover image—a monkey being carried along by both arms by angry-looking officers. At a quick glance, it looks like they might be police officers but closer inspection tells us that they are actually firefighters. Interestingly, this cover image is a doctored copy of an illustration in the book. The difference is on the cover, George is smiling (which is odd given the expression of the officers) but in the book, he is, rightfully, scared and panicked. Given recent times, it’s hard not to make comparisons to the cover image and the heartbreaking reality of the policing of Black Americans. That George is thrown into prison for a meaningless “crime” (really, is it an imprisonable offense if someone accidentally dials the fire department?). All of this hits too close to home.

You can argue that kids won’t understand the subliminal undercurrents of this story. Maybe even that these are just extreme examples to discourage kids from using the phone recklessly. First of all, logistically easy access to dialing an emergency number on the phone is less likely now. Secondly, there’s a lot of privilege in that perspective. The sad fact is that for many Black and brown kids this is a very real fear.

Finally, I would say that kids don’t live in a vacuum; what they may not know now they will piece together later. Kids hear, see, and learn about all of these things. They will connect the dots. I’m okay with that. I will wait for my kid to be about 5 or older before sharing Curious George with her and I fully intend for it to be a learning experience (check out my conversation starter questions below if you’d like to do the same). I want her to reflect and think critically about what she’s reading and know that it’s okay to disagree with stories or see where they might be wrong.

What I Liked

There are a few things I certainly enjoyed. The illustrations are wonderful—they have a vintage feel to them capturing all the innocence and carefree playfulness that George exudes. The expressions on George’s face are excellent as he moves from one escapade to the next.

And I can also see why George has endured for almost a century. His genuine curiosity is how kids approach the world. They don’t understand the “arbitrary” rules adults have set; they need to experience these things for themselves just like George. The fallout that inevitably occurs is something that kids are very familiar with too. In George, they see themselves.

Conversation starters

• Why did the Man in the Yellow Hat take George? Do you think George wanted to be taken?

• Why do you think George was sent to prison? Do you think he should have been sent there?

• Do you think George misses Africa? Do you think he will ever go back? (FYI, he never does according to the book series.)

Interesting facts

• When the Reys were living in Rio de Janeiro, they decided to honeymoon in Europe. They brought their two pet monkeys, native to South America, on the journey with them who ultimately died

Let’s Talk…

• How is your summer going? Are you well on your way to accomplishing everything you planned for this season?

• Have you read the Curious George books to your kids? What did they think?

• Of the three classic animals, which is your favorite? Paddington, George, or Babar?

*Thank you for using (at no additional cost to you) the affiliate links in this post! :-)