Little Lost Monkey

By Jim Kenny Art by Carla Mann with Karen Holtzclaw Stone Belt Press, 2017, ISBN: 978-0-9989456-0-6, 55 pages, $27 When Chipper Wump’s father leaves home and never returns and then his mom is captured by a zookeeper and taken away, Chipper is left without a family. In the book “Little Lost Monkey,” little Chipper’s journey is one similar to that of children in foster care or who have been adopted internationally. Alone in the jungle, Chipper encounters many dangers, including snakes, tigers and alligators before being taken in by a family of lions. While Chipper is welcomed and taken care of by the lion family, he doesn’t necessarily fit in. So, a new family of chimpanzees is found for Chipper. Finally, Chipper feels safe, secure and loved with new parents and siblings. “Little Lost Monkey” is a nice bedtime story to share with kids. It’s pretty simplistic in its plot, but is something most kids in foster care or who have been adopted will relate to. It doesn’t delve deeply into the emotions and struggles children often have when they experience loss through adoption, but it could serve as a conversation starter for some of those tougher topics. The beauty of the book is that the illustrations are done by a woman, Carla Mann, who receives support from Stone Belt Arc, an organization that provides programs for people with developmental disabilities. The author of the book, Jim Kenny, along with his wife, Mary, have donated funds for the publication of the book that will serve as a fundraiser for Stone Belt Arc to continue its work. So overall, “Little Lost Monkey” is a nice book that kids will enjoy reading with their parents or caregivers and a way to give back to a good cause at the same time. — Reviewed by Kim Phagan-Hansel