“There are monkeys in the bottoms
In those tall white sycamores.
There are monkeys in the bottoms,
Worth a million or more. “So come along, Old Rowdy,
And let’s get on the trail
Of a hundred dollar monkey.
We’ll catch him by the tail.” -Rawls
This summer, we kicked off our very first kids’ book club at our home, and we chose Wilson Rawls’ classic novel Summer of the Monkeys as our starting point. It was the perfect story for a summer gathering—adventurous, funny, heartwarming, and full of life lessons. Read on to see how you too can Host A Kid’s Book Club with Summer of the Monkeys!
Our small group of homeschool friends gathered in the backyard to celebrate the book with themed treats, fun projects, and a lively discussion. From monkey bread to handmade monkey traps (yes, really!), the kids had a chance to bring the story to life in their own creative ways.
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About Summer of the Monkeys
Summer of the Monkeys is set in the late 1800s in Oklahoma and follows the adventures of Jay Berry Lee, a 14-year-old farm boy who discovers a troop of escaped circus monkeys living along the river bottoms near his home. Jay Berry dreams of capturing the monkeys and collecting the hefty reward so he can buy a pony and a .22 rifle.
But the monkeys prove to be much more clever than he expected, and along the way, Jay Berry learns important lessons about love, family, sacrifice, and what really matters in life. It’s a story that blends laugh-out-loud humor with touching moments, making it a wonderful read for middle-grade readers and families alike.
Kids’ Book Club Discussion Questions
To guide our conversation, we asked the kids a few open-ended questions about the story. Here are some great discussion starters if you’d like to host your own Summer of the Monkeys book club:
- Why do you think Jay Berry wanted a pony and a rifle so badly?
- What do the monkeys symbolize in the story?
- Jay Berry’s sister, Daisy, dreams of walking without her crutches. How does her story add depth to the book?
- What was the funniest part of the story for you?
- If you had been Jay Berry, how would you have tried to catch the monkeys?
- What do you think the author wanted us to learn from Jay Berry’s decisions in the end?
Themed Food Ideas
Food is always a highlight of any book club gathering! We tied our treats to the story in simple and kid-friendly ways:
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Monkey Bread Donut Holes – These bite-sized treats were a hit! Perfectly sticky and sweet, they nodded to the mischievous monkeys in the story.
- Homemade Berry Pie – One of our book club moms baked a delicious pie, inspired by the one described in the book. It felt like a real farm-style celebration! (Pie pictured above!)
- Banana Snacks – This would be a great addition to a meetup tying in with the monkey theme!
- Fruit and Nuts
“You know, an old man like me can teach a young boy like you all the good things in life. But it takes a young boy like you to teach an old man like me to appreciate all the good things in life. I guess that’s what life’s all about.” – Wilson Rawls
“I’ve always figured that a man can do almost anything if he puts his mind to it and doesn’t ever give up.” -Rawls
Creative Projects & Activities
One of the most memorable parts of our meetup was seeing the kids show off their creative projects connected to the book:
- Monkey Traps – My girls built their own imaginative traps after being inspired by Jay Berry’s adventures. This sparked some hilarious conversations about who would actually succeed in catching a monkey!
- Book Reports and Artwork – Several kids shared drawings and written reflections about their favorite parts of the story.
- Discussion Time – Each child had a chance to share something they learned from the book, which made for a rich and thoughtful conversation.
Simple Decor Ideas
We kept the atmosphere playful and outdoorsy, just like the book’s setting:
- Rustic baskets, daisies in a tin can, ribbons tied on branches (has to do with the story!)
- A picnic-style feel, burlap table runner for rustic feel
- Mason jars with wildflowers to echo the Oklahoma countryside
- A “nurse” costume hanging up
“I’ll always remember this as the summer of the monkeys.” -Rawls
Why Start a Kids Book Club?
Hosting this book club reminded me of the joy that comes when kids connect deeply with a story. They not only practiced reading and comprehension but also had a chance to create, discuss, and build friendships. A book club brings literature to life and makes reading something to look forward to together. If you’d like to learn more about how you can begin your own book club, read my article How to Start A Kid’s Book Club for Homeschoolers Using Living Books and find all of our past book clubs for more inspiration, right HERE!
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