Description: In this collection of related short stories, Angela Johnson winningly portrays a girl called Charlie who's just moved to a new house but doesn't even give the dust time to settle before she's exploring her new street, meeting all the neighbors, and getting into a bit of trouble. In one story, with a just-met, but bound-to-be best friend Billy, she thwarts her older brother Sid's attempt to trick her into believing there really are maniac monkeys living in the willow trees on Monroe Street. Miss Marcia, her muffin-baking neighbor and an artist makes a plaster-cast version of Charlie that looks just like her, down to her braids, dimple, and ever-present jump rope. In another, Charlie and Billy take a bus trip into the city to visit the art museum, making a racket on the bus singing their very own original song entitled "The Duck Song". In each story, Charlie's character blossoms a bit more as she takes on more and more of Monroe Street and makes it her own.

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