How a curious little monkey changed the world

(A version of this story appeared on September 7, 2023 on The Heart of The Matter. )

When I was very young, I would crawl into my mother’s lap wearing my onesie pajamas and beg for a glass of milk and for her to read to me. I had a series of favorite books, everything from The Poky Little Puppy; Clifford, the Big Red Dog; The Little Engine That Could; Corduroy; The Berenstain Bears; to Katy and the Big Snow, about a snowplow that saves the town of Geoppolis after it gets buried under several feet of snow. 

They all held a special place in my heart, but one book took center stage. I loved Curious George, the series of stories about a little monkey whose curious nature gets him into mischievous adventures. I would curl up in my mom’s lap in our brown rocking chair and ask her to read Curious George to me. 

I could never get enough of the book. I must not have been the only one. The Curious George books, including the seven original stories, have sold more than twenty-five million copies. I’ve always been grateful for the silly little monkey in developing my own curiosity and questioning skills and a love of books, big and small. 

Running from trouble

Years later, I found out that the stories about Curious George were amazing and all, but the truth was even more breathtaking. During World War II, Curious George’s creators, two German Jews named Margret and H.A. Rey, fled Paris by bike on June 14, 1940. They were just a few steps ahead of the Nazis who had invaded a few weeks earlier. The couple took little with them on their predawn escape — except what they had on their backs, some food and clothes, and the manuscript that would become the first Curious George book. 

The rode their bikes for four long days until they reached the French-Spanish border, took a train to Lisbon, made their way to Brazil and then onto New York City. When they got settled in New York, they approached a publisher and Houghton Mifflin published Curious George in the U.S. in August 1941, with an initial print run of 7,500 copies and a price of $2.00. 

From small beginnings to worldwide readership

If the Reys had stayed in Paris, there’s no question they would have faced death. Two-thirds of the Jewish people in Europe were killed during World War II, a total of 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust. In their home country of Germany, according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, there were 525,000 Jews in 1933, and only 37,000 in 1950.

Meanwhile, Curious George became one of the most beloved and recognizable characters in children’s literature. His adventures have been translated into many languages, including Japanese, French, Afrikaans, Portuguese, Swedish, German, Chinese, Danish, and Norwegian.

Starting a new life

I remember reading about the Reys ten or fifteen years ago and being struck by the absurdity of it. A delay in fleeing Paris, a poorly timed run-in along the way with Nazi soldiers, a flat tire here or there, or millions of reasons, and the Reys could have been stopped. A huge part of my childhood and so many others would not have happened. With a snap of the fingers, they would be gone like that. 

It sounds trite, but I’m not sure I’ve ever written truer words: 

• Never be fooled, hate is a horrible, horrible thing
• And conversely, curiosity, growth, the thirst for knowledge and learning are beautiful, beautiful things. Some of the best things life has to offer. 

What are some books that mattered to you as a young child? Do they still matter to you? What stories do you have about them?

Images by Pexels.