I received this book in a give away.

Already on the outside this book looks like fun entertainment for very young children, and this promise is delightfully fulfilled. In a gentle, humorous rhyme, Sudipta Bardhan- Quallen tells her take on the Grimm fairy tale "The golden goose" by letting two hungry orangutangs fall onto a pile of sticky mangoes. Glued together by sweet smelling mango juice they attract other animals, who in turn get stuck to, what becomes a ball of animals, including a tiger, who would like to eat them all. In this case there is no princess as reward, but the ball rolls in to the ocean and the animals are freed. As the tiger is carried away by the waves, the other animals swim back to the beach, and find...mangoes! They eat until their bellies are full, and fall asleep in one big ball again.

I liked that the book was in simple rhyme, even though it was sometimes a little contrived. A rhyming story is risky business for a writer for this reason. The story needs to be told with the correct rhyme, rhythm and grammar, and remain a logical sequence. Sentences like "Two orangutangs reclining as the moon above is shining" sounds hokey. First of all why did the author leave the word "are" out of the sentence? The rhythm would still be intact. Secondly, it feels like the shining moon is only mentioned for the sake of the rhyme. There are other similar, not quite flowing, sentences in the story.

The illustrations are relatively simple, clearly outlined, and explain the situation succinctly to small children. They also add to the story. The adventure is witnessed initially be a frog, who is soon joined by a bird and a baby yak. Their reward for not getting "tangled" in the intrigue is, that without getting dumped into the ocean, they still get to eat mangoes on the beach, and to fall asleep with their friends. Children will enjoy finding the frog on many of the pages.

The one thing I questioned about the pictures was that the story starts in the dark, but after everybody rolls into the ocean it is suddenly sunny and warm. I would have preferred a gradual lightening of the sky as time goes on, just like to room gets darker and darker in "Goodnight moon" by Margaret Brown.

Overall, this is a great book to read with 2 to 4 year olds. I am looking forward to reading it to my students. ( )

"In the jungle, night is falling. / Tigers prowl and birds are calling. / Two orangutans reclining / as the moon above is shining. / 'Need a treat!' 'What to eat?' / 'Something juicy, something sweet.' / They search and seek / and then they see / some mangoes hanging from a tree." So begins this rollicking rhyme of a picture-book, as a series of animals gets tangled all together, in a mango-gooey mess...

With its rhyming text, madcap adventure, and colorful, cartoon-like illustrations, Orangutangled would make an excellent read-aloud selection for story-time. Sudipta Barden-Quallen's text is well-paced, and illustrator Aaron Zenz's artwork, although not to my personal taste, is quite humorous. Recommended to anyone looking for fun new picture-book told in rhyme, and featuring jungle animals. ( )

Good rhymes and a cute concept. I feel sorry for the tiger who was adrift at sea at the end, though, and didn't get to enjoy a meal (even though his meal would have been all the other animals).

Cute story of orangutans who want to eat mangoes and end up in trouble along with other animals who get in their way. The illustrations are adorable. The story is rollicking. Children will love this book. ( )

silly book discussing how different jungle animals are getting stuck together because of some smashed up fruit. then they end up in the ocean and get all cleaned!
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