Pink Monkeys — Richard Hartmetz

A little bird sits high on a wire, watching the strange pink monkeys below him. Father bird warns him that they are dangerous, but he is curious and decides to ask the other animals about them. He questions a robin, a horse, a cow, a honeybee, an ant, a dog, a deer, a rabbit, and an owl, all of whom warn him of the dangers connected to the fearsome beasts. The owl tells the little bird how they fight in great wars, and participate in animal slavery, poisoning the air and water, and even killing their own kind. The little bird can scarcely believe that such creatures exist, so he goes out into the world to see for himself. Then he is injured by a giant metal beast and captured by one of the pink monkeys. Are they truly as fierce as he has been told, or will he need their help to survive? This is a truly enlightening picture book sprinkled with healthy doses of introspection for everyone who has ever wondered what "animals" really think.