This page was put together to show my works on the Summer of the Monkeys book. SOTM is a novel book that all 6th graders are required to read and work on. 

There are many differences between the Summer of the Monkeys book and the movie. The first dramatic difference that was easy to see was that there were 4 monkeys instead of about 30 monkeys. Their names are Henri, Jacques, Antoinette, and Dominique. The book’s names are Jimbo and then the rest of the little monkeys are not named. There is a random character in the book named Mr. Hatcher, who ends up dying, but he is not mentioned in the book. Rowdy is Jay Berry’s dog in the book and movie but the breed is very different. Rowdy is a blue tick hound but the breed in the movie is unknown, but certainly not a blue tick hound. In the end, Grandpa gifted Jay Berry a paint pony, and he and Daisy named her Dolly, but here, her name is Annie. In the movie version, their names are either different or the storyline is completely messed up. Grandpa’s store is where Jay Berry works, and Grandpa doesn’t help Jay Berry and make him realize the mistake of buying the pony instead of fixing Daisy’s leg. 

Although the movie producers completely butchered the story, they have similarities. There is still a young woman that Jay Berry meets, but that is the only similarity on her part because of the name and where they meet. There is still a type of ring made of mushrooms that Daisy steps in to make her wish. Grandpa gives a pony to Jay Berry of what was left of the money. And thankfully it is Summer when it starts and the end of Summer at the end. Daisy has her cripple leg, but it doesn’t get fixed. (???) The similarities between the movie and the book are fewer, but there are still some good things. And yes, Jimbo/Henri is still the main monkey and leader. 

People watching this movie should complain to Disney. At this point, maybe they didn’t even read the book, maybe just skimmed it. Understand that it is hard to rent 30 monkeys for a movie but at least have the correct town! It makes pure anger that Daisy never had her leg fixed but Jay Berry still got his pony. The book is amazing but the movie was so bad and the other children need to email Disney about how horrible it is were true. Some of the changes were completely unnecessary like Jay Berry not going to the train station and meeting the black man or Rowdy not howling in the library to meet Grandpa and Jay Berry. Also, what was the point of Toby and his friends and Jay Berry being a bully? Some of the story was good like Grandpa lecturing Mama and Jay Berry working for Grandpa but the book is way better than the movie.