Anderson, Janet S. The Monkey Tree. Penguin Putman, 1998. ISBN 0-525-46032-2. $15.99. 152 pp. B 5-8 B Reviewed by Cinda Clement Fourteen-year-old Susanna has lost confidence in her artistic ability and her ability to make lasting friends just as her family moves into her late grandmother’s house to take care of Uncle Louie. Susanna makes friends with Uncle Louie, who is also an artist. She also learns that many of the people around her have also felt disconnected at some time in their lives. She begins to rebuild her relationships and her own confidence as she cares for Louie, her brother, and the new friends she makes. Susanna’s family is portrayed as loving and supportive. Susanna’s first-person narrative makes the story interesting. A young girl probably wouldn’t mentally turn things over as much as Susanna does, and young readers might tire of this storyline. This musing is a little confusing to the reader because it generally doesn’t go anywhere. Other than that, the story considers some common teenage concerns fairly well.
