One Monkey Too Many

This mischievous rhyming and counting book revels in excess. Just one more monkey always appears, to crash the bike built for one, to wreck the canoe just right for three and to turn a bed for five into a pillow fight for six. In the last spread, the monkeys jump off the page to deface the book itself: ""One monkey too many came sneaking and.../ ...LOOK!/ One monkey too many got into this book!"" Munsinger's (Hooway for Wodney Wat, reviewed above) rambunctious, lively art is a joy: the monkeys are blithely bad, and the chaos into which every scenario devolves gives kids plenty of diversions to follow. In each new situation that arises, the artist shows the invading monkey hidden somewhere on the spread. Koller (Mole and Shrew All Year Through) turns the childhood impulse to join in the fun into a tale that will appeal to the imp in everyone. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)