Caps for Sale

"Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler, Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business" is a 1938 classic children's book by Esphyr Slobodkina. It's a sly take on the saying, "Monkey see, monkey do."

ummary

Based on a folktale, the story follows the life of a mustachioed cap salesman who wears his entire stock of caps on his head — seventeen in all, as depicted on the title page (including his own cap). He strolls through towns and villages chanting, "Caps! Caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap!"

One day, the peddler sits down under a tree to take a nap, with all his wares still on his head. When he awakens, all the caps but his own are gone - stolen by a troop of monkeys, who now sit in the tree wearing them. The peddler orders them to return his caps, scolds them, and yells at them, while the monkeys only imitate him. The peddler finally throws down his own cap in disgust - upon which the monkeys throw theirs down as well, right at his feet. He stacks the caps back on his head and strolls back to town, calling, "Caps! Caps for sale! Fifty cents a cap!"

Popularity

It is Slobodkina's best-known work, as it has sold more than two million copies. Although the graphics are modest by current standards, "Caps for Sale" is a popular read-aloud book, because its repetitive text permits children to speak the lines and thus join in the reading experience.

It won a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1938.

Today "Caps for Sale" is issued by HarperTrophy, a division of HarperCollins.

In addition to book format, the story is also available in audio format, as are other works by Slobodkina.