On March 17, 2020, the Santa Barbara Zoo closed to the public due to a global pandemic. Three days later, a little penguin named Monty started to make a big difference.A hand-raised Humboldt penguin, this curious bird loved to explore with his keepers and although the Zoo was empty of guests, it was filled with the adventures of a now-famous penguin - Monty! He explored the Zoo, meeting HoneyBun the rabbit, Bangori the Western lowland gorilla, Michael the giraffe, and the leopard tortoises, always making sure to find a favorite leaf along the way. Monty's adventures were shared online and with each new video, Monty brought more and more joy. People of all ages and from all around the world proclaimed their love for the little bird that brought smiles to their day. During uncertain times, Monty brought certainty that good exists. As people were quarantined in their homes and disconnected from one another, Monty connected everyone through their shared love of his love for the world around him. When the world felt a little lost, Monty helped it find its heart! He taught people to accept differences. He reminded people that life is in the little things and with each hug he gave his keeper Ellie, people remembered that love is the most important thing.

Monty is mighty enough to take karate in a funny, true-to-life sequel with surefire appeal for early chapter-book readers. (Ages 5-7) Monty Gerald Morris may be small and shy, but he's a mighty smart kid and an A+ reader. In an endearing follow-up to Mostly Monty, the quiet first-grader continues to come into his own -- playing the part of a tree in a comically miscued school play, sharing his enthusiasm for ants at an outdoor birthday party, even signing up for karate class despite his asthma. Once again, Johanna Hurwitz finds gentle humor in everyday situations and offers a charming portrayal of a likable character many young readers will relate to.

“Hurwitz writes in a tender, positive manner.” — School Library Journal A new sibling is just one of the surprises — some good, some not so much — awaiting Monty in another story for early chapter book readers. In this gently humorous adventure, Monty faces the unpredictable, everyday turns of a first-grader’s life with his usual lovable charm.

Three stories about Monty are presented together in this collection: "Monty, the Dog who Wears Glasses", "Monty Bites Back", and "Monty Must be Magic".

Monty tries to master a magic kit — and finds some real-life situations tricky — in this spot-on story about an endearing, utterly relatable first-grader. First grade is almost over, and Monty will soon be seven. He’s now a big brother, too, which makes him feel very grown-up. But when he tries to use the magic set his grandmother gave him, he has a little trouble. Maybe the card trick would work if he were eight years old? Mother’s Day is coming, and Monty wishes he had something better to give his mom than the picture frame he made out of ice-cream sticks at school. But how is he supposed to guess from the TV call-in ad how much flowers cost, or that you need a special card to get them? Whether involving his baby sister in his library project, losing a sneaker while marching with his karate class in the parade, or learning that an exciting afternoon isn’t always a good thing, Monty’s familiar adventures embody the gentle humor of everyday life.

When Monty the Newfoundland puppy arrived at his new home, it's fair to say he immediately created a big impression. At seven weeks old, he was almost the same size as the rest of his canine family, the three Cocker Spaniels Molly, Poppy and Bailey. For Monty's 'hoomans', who were experiencing life with a giant breed for the first time, everything was about to change. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, he went from cute fluffy puppy to hormone-fuelled hooligan. Every day brought a new - and often chaotic - escapade. It was at this point, back in 2011, that hooman Dad Mark decided to document Monty's life in a Facebook blog. This wasn't just a normal blog, though; this was Monty's world through his eyes. This was life according to Monty Dogge...

Part of a series which integrates the text with pictures. It really is a dog's life for Monty - being shown up in front of other dogs and getting the blame for disappearing biscuits - but the dog who wears glasses learns some disappearing tricks of his own, and proves that he really is magic.