Curious George in the Big City

Hans Augusto Rey was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1898. As a child, he spent much of his free time in that city's famous Hagenbeck Zoo drawing animals. After serving in the army during World War I, he studied philology and natural science at the University of Hamburg. He then married Margret Rey and they moved to Montmartre for four years. The manuscript for the first Curious George books was one of the few items the Reys carried with them on their bicycles when they escaped from Paris in 1940. Eventually, they made their way to the United States, and Curious George was published in 1941. Curious George has been published in many languages, including French, German, Japanese, Afrikaans, and Norwegian. Additional Curious George books followed, as well as such other favorites as CECILY G. AND THE NINE MONKEYS and FIND THE CONSTELLATIONS.

resumably seizing this anniversary opportunity, a pair of titles neither written nor illustrated by either of the Reys debut this fall: Margret & H.A. Rey's Curious George in the Big City and Margret & H.A. Rey's Curious George Goes to a Costume Party, both "illustrated in the style of H.A. Rey by Martha Weston." In the first offering, the little monkey gets lost in the big city. Alas, the cover illustration shows George clinging to the top of the Empire State Building, the New York City skyline behind him, with the World Trade Center towers rising majestically on the horizon. In the second, the fellow puzzles over what disguise to wear until he gets tangled in a sheet and winds up a ghost.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

(Publishers Weekly )