By Margret Rey, H. A. Rey
All seven of the original Curious George stories in one thick book — the little monkey whose curiosity gets him into everything, and back out of it too.
One book, all seven of the original stories the Reys wrote about their curious little monkey, so a child who falls for George has the whole run in one place. George means well and just can't sit still. He floats off holding a bunch of balloons, paints a wall, phones the fire department by mistake, and winds up in the hospital. Every time, the Man with the Yellow Hat turns up and sets it right. The stories are short, the trouble always gets fixed, and each one ends with a soft landing.
George is basically a small child in monkey form: all curiosity, no brakes, forever into the thing he shouldn't touch. That's why children this age love him, and probably why they feel a little caught out too. The shape of every story is the reassuring part. George makes a mess, there's a beat of worry, and a grown-up he trusts comes and fixes it. Seven stories in one volume means a hooked child has a long stretch of bedtimes ahead, and it makes a heftier gift than a single slim picture book. It's a nice fit for a child just starting to read a bit on their own.