MR. MOUTHFUL AND THE MONKEYNAPPERS

A loquacious hero and his primate companion return in Kimble’s comical children’s book sequel.

Mr. Mouthful, a tall, bowler cap–wearing man, is a fan of big words. Joined by his monkey friend, Dupree, he’s out and about as the pair show off their fancy duds. The duo look like they’re putting on a parade, so two local children, Lucy and Jojo, join in, dancing along with Dupree. A hole in the path marks an end to the children’s fun—Mr. Mouthful warns them to watch their step, but, using big words, he takes too long to explain, and plop, down they trip. As the dancing continues, more kids join, soon meeting similar fates (Desmond and Molly crash into a bucket of paint). When the duo arrive at a soccer game, Dupree nabs the ball—and some monkeynappers nab him. The kids join Mr. Mouthful in trying to rescue Dupree; while Mr. Mouthful shouts “Unhand him, unhand him, you scoundrels, or I’ll have to summon the law,” the kids take action, using fruit boxes and snacks to get the bad guys to give up their friend. If there’s a moral to the story, it’s that big words can get in the way of decisive action—but the author seems more interested in introducing ridiculous, anachronistic words to young readers to prevent them from becoming frightened of unfamiliar vocabulary. The rhythmic sentences sometimes include internal rhymes, and the ten-cent words make for a fun read-aloud. While some words may require a dictionary (“Disport, disport. Strut your stuff”), most are readily understandable from the context. Bell’s brightly colorful cartoon illustrations feature huge-eyed characters with big, round heads and capture the chaotic energy of the adventure. The cast of children varies in hue, shape, ability (one child wears glasses), and size, and bicyclists are shown using good safety skills by wearing their helmets. When the kids end up as the heroes, teaching Mr. Mouthful that sometimes actions take precedence over words, young readers should cheer along.

A clever story with a verbose main character who learns to listen to kids.