What do toys do when children aren't looking? This early 20th-century gem imagines the secret adventures of a toy monkey who awakens in a new home, given as a birthday present to a lucky child. With his cane and expressive face, the Monkey on a Stick befriends the Candy Rabbit, outwits a goat who has appetite for sugar, and makes the acquaintance of a Grasshopper who sings songs in the meadow. The friends face mischief from a Cotton Doll, tumble off the family dog Carlo's back, and ultimately prepare a grand show to display their courage and camaraderie. Laura Lee Hope writes with the gentle wit of a storyteller who understands that children live in two worlds at once: the one they see, and the magical one they imagine. The book's enduring charm lies in its invitation to look at our toys with new eyes, to wonder what conversations happen in the playroom after dark. Perfect for reading aloud or for newly independent readers, this is a tender time capsule of make-believe.
