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MR APE
Abandoned by his bossy wife and children, old Mr Ape finds himself living all alone in his huge and rambling house. And then he gets a brilliant he can fill the house with animals, the pets his wife and children would never let him have. But pets have a habit of increasing and increasing and soon every room is stuffed to the brim with animals. Something has to change...
128 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 14, 2017
Mr. Archibald Peregrine Edmund Spring-Russell of Penny Royal is know to the few friends he has had as Ape. A name that fitted him as he was very tall, with long arms and shuffled as he walked. He is now living in the large estate by himself. His children have grown and moved out. His bossy wife decided she was tired of the large house and Ape so she has left. He is on his own.
He also finds that he can now do as he pleases. The wife said no to many things, but now he is free to do as he pleases. One thing he decides is that he doesn't need the whole house to live in. The kitchen is the important room, so he moves his bed in and closes off the bedrooms. The kitchen is quite large so this is easy. He can cook and eat the foods he likes and when he likes.
Another thing he can do is have animals! The wife did not allow any pets. Mr. Ape decides he wants chickens. When he goes to the pet store he can't decide on just one or two, he buys them all! These are just the beginning to his menagerie. Rabbits, guinea pigs, canaries and more!
When it seems things are getting a little out of hand, he makes the acquaintance of Joe and his son Jake, Gypsies who are living near by in their caravan. They help with the care of the animals and a great friendship develops between them.
To tell more would to be to give it all away. I have read other books by Dick King-Smith and found them to also be enjoyable. The stories are entertaining and there can be a lot to take away for kids and adults. Easily read in one sitting.
He also finds that he can now do as he pleases. The wife said no to many things, but now he is free to do as he pleases. One thing he decides is that he doesn't need the whole house to live in. The kitchen is the important room, so he moves his bed in and closes off the bedrooms. The kitchen is quite large so this is easy. He can cook and eat the foods he likes and when he likes.
Another thing he can do is have animals! The wife did not allow any pets. Mr. Ape decides he wants chickens. When he goes to the pet store he can't decide on just one or two, he buys them all! These are just the beginning to his menagerie. Rabbits, guinea pigs, canaries and more!
When it seems things are getting a little out of hand, he makes the acquaintance of Joe and his son Jake, Gypsies who are living near by in their caravan. They help with the care of the animals and a great friendship develops between them.
To tell more would to be to give it all away. I have read other books by Dick King-Smith and found them to also be enjoyable. The stories are entertaining and there can be a lot to take away for kids and adults. Easily read in one sitting.
July 3, 2013
Mr Archibald Peregrine Edmund Spring-Russell or Ape is an affluent fifty-something year old, who lives alone in a rather large estate home with nothing but memories of his estranged wife and children.
To both fill the void of loneliness and to satisfy his love of eggs, he initially decides to transform one of his many vacant rooms into a chicken coop. After meeting Joe and Jake (a Romany father and son) an unlikely friendship develops and Ape is helped to realise his boyhood dream of caring for a number of different animals.
However when disaster strikes, Ape has to make some difficult decisions about both his animals and his subsequent way of life. By turning to his friends he is helped back on his feet and together they decide to embark on a journey of a lifetime.
Whilst I found the sentence structure to be confusing at times I also felt that the story was overly simplistic making it a tedious read. Yet as this is a story aimed at 5 - 8 year olds I feel that this target audience would be amused by Ape's eccentricities and dietary habits as well as be endeared by the bond between both him and Jake.
This is a light-hearted tale of one man's love of animals which would be enjoyed by independent readers and by key stage one pupils if read by a teacher and shared with the class. It could evoke conversations on empathy and diversity and also highlight the importance of caring for animals appropriately.
To both fill the void of loneliness and to satisfy his love of eggs, he initially decides to transform one of his many vacant rooms into a chicken coop. After meeting Joe and Jake (a Romany father and son) an unlikely friendship develops and Ape is helped to realise his boyhood dream of caring for a number of different animals.
However when disaster strikes, Ape has to make some difficult decisions about both his animals and his subsequent way of life. By turning to his friends he is helped back on his feet and together they decide to embark on a journey of a lifetime.
Whilst I found the sentence structure to be confusing at times I also felt that the story was overly simplistic making it a tedious read. Yet as this is a story aimed at 5 - 8 year olds I feel that this target audience would be amused by Ape's eccentricities and dietary habits as well as be endeared by the bond between both him and Jake.
This is a light-hearted tale of one man's love of animals which would be enjoyed by independent readers and by key stage one pupils if read by a teacher and shared with the class. It could evoke conversations on empathy and diversity and also highlight the importance of caring for animals appropriately.
August 25, 2017
Mr Ape is an elderly man who lives on his own in a large stately home. His children have grown up and moved away, and his wife has left him. It’s not a very auspicious start to a children’s book, but only mentioned in passing.
Mr Ape decides to keep some hens in what used to be his drawing room... which is the start of a major venture into animal-keeping. He meets the Romany travellers Joe and his son Jake, with whom he becomes very friendly. Each chapter is somewhat complete in itself, as Mr Ape gradually acquires more and more animals, until about two-thirds of the way through when a party turns into a disaster....
I read it aloud (more than once) to my three-year-old grandson who was mesmerised, repeatedly asking for ‘another chapter!’ each time I finished one. The writing is good; I skipped a couple of words here and there, and one or two descriptions, but overall I liked the book very much.
Recommended to fluent readers, or as a good read-aloud for any child who likes to listen to this kind of book. There are simple line drawings every two or three pages; there is a good pace and an exciting climax.
Mr Ape decides to keep some hens in what used to be his drawing room... which is the start of a major venture into animal-keeping. He meets the Romany travellers Joe and his son Jake, with whom he becomes very friendly. Each chapter is somewhat complete in itself, as Mr Ape gradually acquires more and more animals, until about two-thirds of the way through when a party turns into a disaster....
I read it aloud (more than once) to my three-year-old grandson who was mesmerised, repeatedly asking for ‘another chapter!’ each time I finished one. The writing is good; I skipped a couple of words here and there, and one or two descriptions, but overall I liked the book very much.
Recommended to fluent readers, or as a good read-aloud for any child who likes to listen to this kind of book. There are simple line drawings every two or three pages; there is a good pace and an exciting climax.
April 1, 2022
At the ripe, old age of 66, I finally read this children's book and enjoyed it. Rather like the protagonist Mr. Ape, I'm a childlike soul in an old body. I enjoy children's books quite as much as adult books.
Mr. Ape (an acronym of his imposing names), is a 75-year-old divorcee, abandoned by his wife and children, living in his ancestral home. Not a likely protagonist for a children's book. But he has a yearning for his pleasant childhood memories and so begins doing exactly what he pleases: like moving his bed into his kitchen.
That's the start of living out his dreams. He very much fulfills his wishes and has many amusing adventures along the way. He befriends Joe and Jake, a Romany father and son, who help him transform his house into--well, read the book and find out.
Mr. Ape (an acronym of his imposing names), is a 75-year-old divorcee, abandoned by his wife and children, living in his ancestral home. Not a likely protagonist for a children's book. But he has a yearning for his pleasant childhood memories and so begins doing exactly what he pleases: like moving his bed into his kitchen.
That's the start of living out his dreams. He very much fulfills his wishes and has many amusing adventures along the way. He befriends Joe and Jake, a Romany father and son, who help him transform his house into--well, read the book and find out.
April 21, 2020
I needed a wee break and so I pulled out this offering by Dick King-Smith. He always makes me smile. This one is a sweet story with a nice ending. It brought to my mind Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, The Sojourner as I first began reading. This is interesting considering that Ms. Rawlings and Mr. King-Smith could not be two more different writers. But then again, I love The Sojourner so much and that is kind of the way of things with a reader, we make connections back to the things we love. Anyway, this is a sweet story of a lonely man and a really smart boy and how they work together to find happiness.
July 31, 2020
a fun and quirky story about a lonely old man and his animals, but for a children's book, the beginning was awfully weird. It's kinda scary for a child to hear that the reason this man is alone is because he didn't really like his wife and children anyway. Why not have them die of typhoid, or fall off a boat?
but it was mostly redeemed later on, and yes he lives happily ever after.
but it was mostly redeemed later on, and yes he lives happily ever after.
April 4, 2023
Not one of King-Smith's best. This one felt a little directionless - we start with Mr. Ape collecting pets, but then he gives them all away and in the end sets off to live in a house trailer. Somehow, the book just didn't feel like it had a real story driving it, which mean that the middle felt muddled and the ending a bit abrupt. Not a bad story, but not one I'll reread.
March 27, 2018
I just finished reading this to a 3rd grade class. We all enjoyed it very much.
March 30, 2018
A fine volume of wish fulfillment for anyone who's ever wanted to fill a house with animal friends!
November 8, 2020
By the author of “Babe,” a sweet early-reader book.
June 7, 2022
i absolutely love this book and always will <3 the story is so adorably touching and the ending is magnificent.
July 16, 2023
It's a whole story that would give you a sense of contentment and satisfaction.
April 7, 2025
This book makes no sense. Its not well-written
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June 29, 2025I remember liking this book as a kid. My kids enjoyed it as a read aloud.
September 19, 2025
An old man finds himself living alone for the first time in his life and decides to fill his mansion with all kinds of various animals. It was cute. I think my kids liked it more than I did.
July 3, 2013
This classic Dick King-Smith book is a charmingly written (and illustrated) story about a man named A.P.E Spring-Russell Esquire (known as APE to everyone who knows him) who lives in a grand stately home on his own, until he decides to fill his house with animals! Following on from his theme of writing classic stories involving animals, DIck King-Smith has written another wonderful book based around animals and their relationship with humans, as well as expressing the eccentricity of the upper class gent in the country. This book is a nice easy read, and would be suitable for independent readers in year 4/5/6, with children young being able to appreciate the lovely story and great illustrations.
May 9, 2015
Using humor and gentleness, Dick King-Smith manages to present complicated human foibles without making a lesson out of them. As with many of his other books, his protagonist here is an elderly man with a lot of quirks, one of which is that he loves animals and fills his house with them. And I don't mean he's got a couple of dogs. His entire dining room is converted to a chicken coop. He's got another room housing guinea pigs. He's an odd duck, really, and rather lonely. He makes friends with a young Romany boy and then with the boy's father. But when it becomes clear that the rest of the town is going to pin a crime on his new friends, Mr. Ape has other ideas.
March 25, 2015
It was a really enjoyable, really quick read and really fast-paced children's book. It had really well-written illustrations, great characters, very good humor and a really good story. I haven't read this book in a very long time. This is one of the best Dick King-Smith books I've ever read. I really recommend this book to anyone who loves reading Dick King-Smith books.
September 23, 2016
My kids have read several Dick King-Smith books this summer, and they seem ideal for summertime reading. They are clever little stories that hook you right away and then finish up nicely, and happily, in a short summer afternoon. Each stories have a fairly standard plot, but generally with a unique element that adds a nice twist. Good for ages 6 to 11.
June 27, 2008
A rather easy read, but still really well written and enjoyable
October 1, 2008
This is an interesting man who loves animals.
November 4, 2008
I didn't like this book at all! (I didn't even read the whole thing)
September 8, 2009
A man with a lot of animals... my dream.
June 10, 2009
Mr. Ape bought a lot of pets, chicken’s, guinea pigs, parakeets, parrots, and a dog. He is a really funny man.
August 1, 2010
i loved this book as a young girl
September 4, 2013
Funny, nonsensical read.
February 24, 2016
So super cute and funny. Definitely a good read for kids or for story nights.
March 1, 2016
Cant remember much, Very good though
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews