| This is the first book in the series of stories by Margret and H.A. Rey about George the curious monkey. This book was one of the manuscripts which she and her husband had with them on their bikes as they escaped German occupation of Paris in June of 1940. The Story: George is living a curious carefree life in Africa. He sees the man with the yellow hat who then captures George in a bag. He is then rowed out to a Steamliner in a row-boat by a sailor. On board the ship George is allowed play, but while trying to fly like a bird on the ship's rail(think Titanic...wait, don't) he falls overboard. Some of the sailors rescue him and he behaves for the rest of the trip (which is SO unlike George). Soon the man with the yellow hat and George go to the man's house. George has some dinner, smokes a pipe (hmmm...I guess in monkey years he is mature enough..) and goes to bed. For his first bit of curious mischief in his new home George calls the fire department after watching the man on the phone. The firemen show up and are pissed that there isn't a fire, chase George around, catch him and throw him in the slammer. George out-wits his captures and escapes his cell. Using his monkey skills he crosses from the prison on telephone wires. Safely on the prison wall George sees a street vendor selling balloons and is curious. He takes the balloons, sails over the city and lands on a traffic light. The man with the yellow hat just happens to be at the light and rescues George. After paying the balloon vendor, George is driven in a car to his new home at the zoo. | 
