In this blog post I’m sharing details about the book Summer of the Monkeys, including details about the story, how my family used the Summer of the Monkeys Book Study, and more.

Summer of the Monkeys is an amazing choice for children who love heart-filled adventure stories that will have you full of emotion, and maybe a few tears, by the end of the story.

In this blog post: 

• Summer of the Monkeys summary
• Themes in Summer of the Monkeys
• Summer of the Monkeys book study ideas and activities
• How we use Treehouse Book Studies in our homeschool
• Treehouse Book Studies community photos
• Read children’s literature with Treehouse Book Studies

Summer of the Monkeys summary

Summer of the Monkeys by Wilson Rawls – author of the classic story Where the Red Fern Grows – is an adventure story filled with heart, humor, and excitement. 

The story features 14-year-old Jay Berry Lee, who is walking through the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma in search of a lost cow when he encounters a tree full of monkeys. When Jay learns from his grandpa that the monkeys have escaped from a traveling circus, and there’s a big reward for the person who finds and returns them, he is thrust into an adventure as he is determined to catch the monkeys and earn the reward for himself.

By the end of the summer, Jay learned a lot more than he bargained for, and not just about monkeys.

The Summer of the Monkeys Book Club Guide is available now. This is a perfect choice if your children love adventure stories and is loved by both older and younger children. 

Learn more and see a sample Treehouse Book Club lesson plan here.

Themes in Summer of the Monkeys

My children and I learned so much as we studied this story with our family and our book club community. Summer of the Monkeys includes these themes:

• Cherokees
• Trail of Tears
• Transportation in the 1800s
• Samuel Morse and the Telegraph
• Chimpanzees and Monkeys vs. Apes
• Ozark Mountains
• Sycamore trees
• The American Red Cross and Clara Barton
• Circus history
• Horses and ponies
• Fairy rings
• Compassion and empathy
• Perseverance

Related: How to Develop a Love of Literature in Your Home

Summer of the Monkeys book study ideas and activities

Here are some of the activities we loved from the Summer of the Monkeys Book Club Guide.

The main premise of the book is catching monkeys! One afternoon we took on the challenge to make our own monkey traps, which was a great STEM challenge. The kids used household items to make traps and then presented them to the other kids. 

Throughout the story, we enjoyed learning about the differences between apes and monkeys. We watched a lot of videos and read books about the differences. The older children created notebook pages with the differences. 

Jay Berry’s grandma made him a huckleberry pie to help him grow muscles, so we made our own version – a combination of raspberry and blueberry.

My son loved researching and learning about the author, Wilson Rawls. He was inspired by the struggles he went through as a writer and how he overcame them. One night, he gave a mini-presentation about the author at the dinner table and I was pleased to observe how many details he retained and the excitement he shared as he spoke. 

In the story, one of the main characters dresses up like a Civil War nurse and “doctors” her brother and dog. We used this to study Clara Barton. My girls made nurse uniforms and put felt red crosses on bags to hold their “medicine” and on their sheet forts, pretending to be nurses in the war. My older daughter notebooked about her after reading some picture books about her life and work. 

My little ones also got to participate. They colored pictures that coordinated with the story, and they made big paper monkeys to hang from our school room ceiling

My kids had fun making lapbooks while I read aloud, which was something new to us. They are interactive book reports with a lot of cutting, coloring, and gluing. The older kids filled out sections of them and the younger kids just cut and assembled. It was a great activity for them to do as I was reading and will make a fun presentation. I got this idea from our wonderful nanny, Miss Heidi, who was homeschooled and created a lot of lapbooks growing up. She created a novel-study lapbook template that can be used for any book. (She is going to make add-ons for all of the books we read aloud through Treehouse Book Club this year.) Read more about creating lapbooks here.

We gained so much insight and knowledge as we worked our way through this story!

How we use Treehouse Book Studies in our homeschool

In my family, we love doing read-arounds with the companion guides from Treehouse Book Studies. Treehouse Book Studies were designed as a way for children to learn together through great literature. These are suitable for family read-alounds, homeschool co-ops, or children’s book clubs. 

Treehouse Book Studies are digital download book studies of classic children’s literature, available for both Primary and Intermediate Years. Use in your homeschool as literature curriculum or as book study with a small group. Create lasting connections through rich stories while you study themes such as science, nature, geography, history, and language arts. Each download includes: Book Study with weekly lesson plans, recipes, Book Report Template, Extension Book List, Multimedia Reference Materials links, and Book Club Meet-up Guide.

In my family, we read aloud selection together over lunch and use this as a jumping off point to explore literature together, along with themes in history and science. 

I love that we can use the reading plan as a way to blend literature with other subjects my children are studying. I created it to be an organic way to read high-quality literature and explore new topics like geography, historical figures, vocabulary, and more in an organic way.

Related: Favorite Homeschool Curriculum Choices for 4th Grade

After finishing the book, we meet with a group of friends who have also read the book to celebrate finishing the novel, give presentations, eat snacks related to the story, and more. I love that we have a template to engage and share in learning with our friends and family. We benefit so much from collaborating and learning with one another!

Treehouse Book Study community photos

See how other families used Treehouse Book Studies in their homes or in children’s book clubs.

Read children’s literature with Treehouse Book Studies

Treehouse Book Studies were designed as a way for children to learn together through great literature. These are suitable for family read-alounds, homeschool co-ops, or children’s book clubs. 

Treehouse Book Studies are digital download book studies of classic children’s literature, available for both Primary and Intermediate Years. Use in your homeschool as literature curriculum or as book study with a small group. Create lasting connections through rich stories while you study themes such as science, nature, geography, history, and language arts. Each download includes: Book Study with weekly lesson plans, recipes, Book Report Template, Extension Book List, Multimedia Reference Materials links, and Book Club Meet-up Guide.

My Side of the Mountain Book Study

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George is an adventure story that begins when 12-year-old Sam Gribley decides to leave his family and their small, cramped New York City apartment to seek a quieter life and explore the world. Told from the first person through journal entries, notes, and drawings, Sam embarks on a journey in the Catskill Mountains, relying on his own survival skills to make it on his own. Along the way, Sam learns how to build fires, forage for food, and catch fish as he seeks independence in the woods. Prepared with only a few items like a pen knife, an ax, and the clothes on his back, Sam quickly learns that surviving in nature involves more than he has read about in books.

The Black Stallion Book Study

The Black Stallion by Walter Farley tells the story of a unique and enduring bond between a boy and a horse. Alec and the black stallion (referred to as the Black throughout the book) find themselves in grave danger early on, yet their perseverance leads them to a deep friendship that helps them overcome the odds.

The Black’s mysterious past brings uncertainty to their journey, but one thing is certain: the bond between Alec and the horse is unlike any other. Together, they form an unlikely team that ventures into the thrilling world of horse racing, where Alec finds himself once again facing unexpected challenges.

This book explores themes of persistence, determination, and the unbreakable connection between a boy and his horse.

The Secret Garden Book Study

When Mary Lennox, a spoiled and self-centered girl who has experienced little of real life, is sent to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor, she is both friendless and thoughtless, content in her solitary ways. However, life begins to change for Mary as she meets a variety of colorful characters at the manor. With the help of a brick wall, a robin, and a mystery, Mary embarks on a quest to unlock the Secret Garden. The story’s charming characters will warm your heart (while others may prompt reflection on your own behavior).

The Secret Garden is a timeless tale of transformation, revealing what lies on the other side of our own limitations. With hope and a touch of magic, Mary—and readers—learn that the true magic of the Secret Garden lies in friendship, kindness, hope, and love. Featuring beautiful writing and rich garden imagery, The Secret Garden continues to captivate and inspire readers of all ages.