Monkey Tricks

To really appreciate this book you have to have shared the world of James and Horatio before, because, although it stands on its own as a story, the themes of their little world are developed in a very interesting way. Monkey arrives with a great fanfare, creating excitement and havoc. He then, literally, disappears. Normality returns; there are no moral judgements made; James, the wise bear, quietly restores life to its previous order. It's interesting how children just accept this. They're fascinated by the exotic drama and inventiveness of Monkey and his tricks and love tracking them down into their component parts, but still see James's restoration of things as the only obvious and satisfying solution to the book.