Curious George - America’s favorite little monkey
Curious George is most easily recognized by his big and brightly colored yellow books. He is the cutest little cartoon monkey whose curiosity always got him into tons of trouble. His popularity has stretched on for generations and every man, woman and small child of every age knows who he is today. He is one of the most beloved and well known characters in children’s literature.
Curious George was created by the husband and wife team of H.A. (Hans) and Margret Rey in 1941. The Rey’s produced many children’s books but Curious George was the most popular. It was first published in 1941 and has been capturing the hearts and minds of readers of all ages throughout the world for over sixty years. All Curious George books, including seven original stories by Margret and Hans, have sold more than twenty-five million copies. The books are so popular that the original story has never been out of print. The books have been continuously re-edited in the six decades since the first volume came out and the current publisher is Houghton Mifflin which is located in Boston, MA.
Some very popular and favorite titles of Curious George books are:
At the Fire Station
Goes to the Aquarium
And the Pizza
Visits a Police Station
Visits an Amusement Park
Goes to School
Bakes a Cake
Goes Camping
Goes Sledding
Goes to a Costume Party
Goes Fishing
At the Beach
Goes to the Dentist
And the Dinosaur
Goes Hiking
And the Dump
Truck at the Ballet
At the Airport
Takes a Job
Goes to the Hospital
Gets a Medal
Rides a Bike
Learns the Alphabet
Flies a Kite
In February 2006, Curious George made it to the big screen! He was featured in an all-new animated adventure based on his adventurous tales that have been enchanting readers page-by-page since the first copy was printed. In the movie, he sets off for a series of adventures (or mis-adventures!) and meets many new friends along the way. There are many distinguished voices that are featured in the film such as Will Ferrell, Dick Van Dyke and Drew Barrymore. It received wonderful reviews.
In September of 2006, PBS will be launching the Curious George animated television series and will be airing as part of the preschool block which they currently show on PBS KIDS. Children will be able to learn subjects such as math and science as they watch these adventures that will feature discovery and laughter, starring the very fun-loving and entertaining monkey, Curious George.
We can only assume that Margret and Hans Rey didn’t realize that their little animated creation would turn into what he has become today. Although they have both passed away, Curious George continues to live on in the Curious George Foundation. This was founded in 1989 and funds programs for children that share the qualities with Curious George such as ingenuity, determination and curiosity in exploring and learning new things. It is a wonderful foundation that also supports the prevention of cruelty to animals as well as supporting community outreach programs that emphasize the importance of family.