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  • From Night Monkey, Day Monkey
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From Night Monkey, Day Monkey

Julia Donaldson

The moon shone down on the jungle.
Night Monkey climbed up the tree.
She clambered and leapt to where Day Monkey slept,
And whispered, “You can’t catch me.”

Day Monkey woke up and chased her,
But lost his grip on the bark.
He landed, cross, on a bed of moss,
Complaining, “It’s much too dark!”

“Look!” said Day Monkey. “Hundreds of eyes,
Winking and blinking and bright.”
Night Monkey laughed and said, “Don’t be daft,
They’re fireflies that flash in the night.”


Julia Donaldson

Extract from Night Monkey, Day Monkey by Julia Donaldson. Text copyright © 2002 Julia Donaldson. Published by Egmont UK Limited and used with permission.

Tags:

anthropomorphism insects jungle monkeys and primates national poetry day 2015 suitable for children

About this poem

This poem was reproduced on a postcard for National Poetry Day 2015. Eight poetry postcards are published each year by the Scottish Poetry Library to celebrate National Poetry Day and are distributed throughout Scotland to schools, libraries and other venues. The theme for 2015 was ‘light’.

Download the PDF poster version of this card

Download teaching ideas on this poem

You can find out more about National Poetry Day in our National Poetry Day page.

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Julia Donaldsonb.1948

Julia Donaldson was the UK Children’s Laureate from 2011 to 2013. She is the author of picture books, fiction for young adults and over twenty plays for children. With illustrator Axel Scheffler, she created the hugely popular Gruffalo series.
More about Julia Donaldson

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