The Mystery at the Monkey House

Cam Jansen Mysteries #10

by David A. Adler, Susanna Natti (Illustrator)

No mystery is too great for super-sleuth Cam Jansen and her amazing photographic memory!

Mysteries follow super-sleuth Cam Jansen everywhere she goes...even to the zoo. When a few monkeys suddenly go missing from their cage, Cam is sure she knows how the thief took them. Can she find the missing monkeys before they are lost forever? 

The Cam Jansen books are perfect for young readers who are making the transition to chapter books, and Cam is a spunky young heroine whom readers have loved for over two decades.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Childrens, Chapter Books, Adventure, Juvenile, Animals

57 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1985

About the author

David Abraham Adler is an American children's author. He was born in New York City, New York in 1947. He graduated from Queens College in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in economics and education. For the next nine years, he worked as a mathematics teacher for the New York City Board of Education, while taking classes towards a master's degree in marketing, a degree he was awarded by New York University in 1971. In that same year, a question from his then-three-year-old nephew inspired Adler to write his first story, A Little at a Time, subsequently published by Random House in 1976. Adler's next project, a series of math books, drew on his experience as a math teacher. In 1977, he created his most famous character, Cam Jansen, originally featured in Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds, which was published that year.

Adler married psychologist Renee Hamada in 1973, and their first child, Michael, was born in 1977. By that time Adler had taken a break from teaching and, while his wife continued her work, he stayed home, took care of Michael, and began a full-time writing career.

Adler's son, Michael S. Adler, is now the co-author of several books with his father, including A Picture Book of Sam Adams, A Picture Book of John Hancock, and A Picture Book of James and Dolly Madison. Another son, Edward, was the inspiration for Adler's Andy Russell series, with the events described in the series loosely based on adventures the Adler family had with Edward's enthusiasm and his pets.

As of November 2008, Adler has three sons and two grandsons. He lives in Woodmere, New York.

(source: Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fifth-grade sleuth Cam Jansen and her best friend Eric Shelton head to the zoo in this tenth chapter-book devoted to their mysterious adventures. Meeting up with Billy there, the children enjoy looking at the animals, until Cam discovers that some of the monkeys are missing. With the help of her photographic memory, she and Eric help to foil the thieves, and return the monkeys to their home...

Originally published in 1985, Cam Jansen and the Mystery at the Monkey House was released just after I stopped reading this series, as a young girl. That said, I have fond memories of the earlier installments, which I greatly enjoyed when moving from early readers to beginning chapter-books. This entry features Billy, who is a somewhat annoying and unnecessary third wheel, clearly intimidated by Cam's photographic memory, and always popping in to relate a piece of trivia, and assure the other children that he too has a good memory. I'm not really sure why Adler felt it was necessary to add his character, unless it was to demonstrate the solidity of Cam and Eric's friendship. Leaving that aside, the mystery here was pretty obvious to an adult reader, but will perhaps be more puzzling for the intended audience. Recommended to fans of the series, and to readers just getting going with chapter-books.

[Annie O'Hare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a mysterious novel. It begins with the three characters of Cam, Eric, and Billy. They all decide to go to the zoo one day. Throughout the book, the characters realize that something is wrong and they have to get to the bottom of the mystery. This is a good book for early readers and would be an excellent transitional chapter book.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monkeys zoo

Dab=123 Soo I like it because the neon line is €£¥zZ like dab and monkeys are 1234567890🏳️🏴🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏁🚩🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈but it bad because they don’t say dab

[Kris (My Novelesque Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATING: 4 STARS
(Review Not on Blog)

*Please Note that the following review is the general review on the Cam Jansen Mysteries *

I loved this series as a kid. I believe I was about 6 to 8 when I read these books and it would be the beginning of my love of mysteries. Cam Jansen, about 10 years old, uses her photographic memory to solve mysteries. They remind me of Agatha Christie novels but for children beginning to read chapter books. I would call these one step above the easy readers.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not one of my favorite books, but I still liked it.

[Anna Salvesen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cam and her friend Eric go to the zoo and they realize that five monkeys are missing and are in a dirt truck. The man who owns the truck changed the locks on them. He wanted the monkeys so he could sell them. Cam saw the truck going into the zoo earlier and figured out that's where the monkeys were. They saw a car accident and the truck was part of it.

[Madison Van Niekerk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book because when Cam said some of the monkeys were missing that was when the mystery really started. Also I really liked this book because once you get to the end of a chapter it makes you wonder what is going to happen next in the mystery of the stolen monkeys!

[Melinda Basse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still enjoyed a way artist Susannah has went away drawing pictures for book Cam Jensen and mystery of monkey house!! I am still indifferent about animals in general!! I like birds and also cats a lot better than a lot of animals

[Gideon C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this because I like how Billy, Cam, and Eric solved the mystery.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why are character’s being described as “fat” in a children’s book? Not a fan of that and also really disliked the character named Billy. Story wasn’t funny or very interesting.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luisa: My favorite part is when they solve the mystery.

[Mr.Zhou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another free ticket for a great place!

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cam, Eric and a new friend Billy visit the zoo and end up helping the zookeepers track down some stolen monkeys.

[Naaman]

April 21

[Shankar B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it when someone stole the monkeys and they found them.

[Bigfatpaul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about the magical girl called cam Jansen. When cam Jansen says “

[Laura Phelps · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cam Jansen is a child detective with a photographic memory. She says 'click,' like a camera, and she basically has a snapshot in her head that she can recall anytime by just saying 'click' again. Eric is her right hand man, and in this book we meet another boy who always has to one up everyone: Billy. Billy is kind of annoying, but pretty funny.

My sister and I read through this book along with another Cam Jansen book. She liked the mystery side of this one a lot, but she didn't like the ending (honestly, though, I think she just doesn't understand the concept of a conclusion.) I found it boring, but she's the kid, and she liked it pretty well. It was nice to see her really thinking about the book, trying to figure out whodunnit.

These books are nice for kids like my sister, who are just getting into reading bigger books, but who maybe can't follow a complicated plot just yet. The mystery is explained very well. Anyone can enjoy them though, I suppose.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cam and Eric go to the zoo. At the monkey house, Eric finds a cute little monkey that copies everything he does. The monkey even does a hand stand after Eric did one. When Cam and Eric buy things at the gift shop, Eric discovers that his wallet is missing. Cam realizes that it probably fell out when he did the hand stand so they return to the monkey enclosure. They find the wallet, but they, also, find several monkeys missing including Eric’s little friend. Cam thinks one of the ice cream vendors stole the monkeys, but the only thing they are guilty of is serving terrible flavors like rum raisin and lemon. Then, as Cam reviews her memory photographs, she “sees” the real thief.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another entertaining story in the Cam Jansen series of mysteries by David A. Adler and Susanna Natti. The mystery itself is a bit contrived and the side story about ice cream is just weird. But we've really enjoyed reading these books and our girls always look forward to another mystery featuring Cam and her friend Eric.

[Marika Gillis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can Jansen books are fine mysteries for those students who are just beginning to tackle simple chapter books, but there is nothing special or meaningful enough to make these books stand out among comparable books (Junie B, Flat Stanley, Magic Tree House, etc.). I think this is one of those series that depends a great deal on the kiddo reading it. Some may love it, others not so much. If your kids take to the characters in this book, there is something nice about a series with comfortable, familiar characters and story lines that are easy to follow.

[Children's Literature Project · Rating 5 out of 5]

DRA:20-24

While Cam, Eric and Billy are visiting the city zoo, all the monkeys in the monkey cage go missing. The three friends unite their forces to help the zoo manager solve the mystery of the missing monkeys. Cam uses her photographic memory to remember clues while Eric and Bill attempt to make sense of them. After considering many different leads, the friends remember a unusual truck with gardening equipment leaving the Zoo. The Zoo manager contacted the police, who was able to intercept the truck and uncover the monkeys hidden in a cage under gardening equipments.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

They see a truck and it honks at them. Then the monkey house, that was full of monkeys is empty. They run to tell the guard and show him. Then they find where the monkeys are, they are in a truck, and they put them back. I like it because they get the monkeys back. Also, something funny about it is that there is this monkey that does whatever Jason does. When he scratched his nose, the monkey scratched his nose.

[Rachel Yingling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book from a series of books that involve the character Cam Jansen. She is a child with a photographic memory. Cam uses her photographic memory to solve mysteries. It's a light hearted and fun book for kids, especially for kids who are just beginning to read chapter books. In this story Cam and her friends go to the zoo and find monkeys missing. Together they are able to solve the mystery of who took the monkeys with things that Cam has seen with her photographic memory.

[Kelly Lyons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cam Jansen and her friend, Eric have run into another mystery! Monkeys have disappeared at the zoo and Cam has to get to the bottom of it. Who knows where those monkeys are! Will the monkeys be returned to there safe home in the monkey exhibit? Find out when you read Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Monkey House!

I enjoyed this book. It is a wonderful addition to the Cam Jansen series.

[Josie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this one with the kids. They said they kind of liked it but not really, hence the 2 star rating. I probably would have given it three myself. The kids in the book are 5th grade though so this is probably a bit advanced for my kids but not over their heads. It just made them want to go to the zoo.

[Kaytee · Rating 3 out of 5]

cam and eric were going to the zoo and then they went back to the monkey house then the cage was empty then they saw a truk come by. then the truck had a car crash and they said to the boy do you know about the monkeys then the boy said can i go now then cam saw a little something then she said stop and looked at the back then there were the monkeys.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

THere were monkeys and then somebody stole them and put them in a cage and took them away. A lady bumped into the truck and Cam saw the monkeys. There was no gardening and it was a gardening truck--that's how Cam solved the mystery.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The monkeys were cool.

[E]

Be ur self.

[Sara]

Someone at the zoo is trying to sell some monkeys and that person just wanted to make money.