Priscilla loves gorillas. She’s not only filled to the brim with knowledge about them, but she has gorilla pajamas and likes acting like a gorilla sometimes, too. Her gorilla behavior is acceptable at home, and even at school on the day the teacher asks everyone to talk about their favorite animals. In fact, most of the class comes in costume. But when she refuses to take the costume off, her teacher loses his patience. The problem is resolved when Priscilla goes back to her gorilla books and learns that even gorillas don’t always get their way. There is still a time and a place for her to release her inner gorilla, however. Emberley’s cartoon-style line drawings capture all of Priscilla’s enthusiasm and spirit, and show the other characters as distinct individuals, as well. (Ages 4-7)

When a whole class goes gorilla, they learn the importance of balancing passion and creativity with cooperation in this charmer of a picture book from the New York Times bestselling duo, Barbara Bottner and Michael Emberley.

The day Priscilla gets a book about gorillas, she instantly becomes obsessed. She dances like them, eats like them, and wears her gorilla costume 24–7! There are so many things to love about gorillas, but what Priscilla loves best is how they seem to always get their way.

So when Mr. Todd tells all his students to dress up like their favorite animal, Priscilla’s choice is obvious. But dancing around and beating her chest when it’s not her turn sends Priscilla straight to the Thinking Corner. She is of course outraged—nobody tells a gorilla what to do!—and as her attitude spreads, soon the thinking corner is full of her classmates. Is Priscilla really channeling her inner gorilla, or is she just a troublemaker in ape’s clothing?