Monkey Business — Rebeca Gomes Tabb

This is a story written by a tween for tweens and primarily about four tweens -- Penelope (the narrator), Nydia (Ny), Lilly, and Emily (Em) -- all accompanied by Max, a pet monkey, in their adventures and misadventures.

When Aunt Vanessa, a famous movie actress, invites Penelope's family to New York for her upcoming wedding, they immediately make plans for the trip. However, an accident changes everything, resulting in Penelope's father, mother, and brother not being able to go. In their place, Penelope's three friends are invited.

The four girls will have adventures galore, all involving, interestingly enough, Max, the monkey who sets into motion many mischievous pranks of his own along the way. In addition, there are several mysterious episodes involving theft, bullying, misunderstandings, and romantic intrigues. Working through these experiences teaches the girls the importance of true friendship and reveals their strong character traits of loyalty, integrity, and kindness.

It is a sweet story told by a ten-year-old tween living her own life in the real world while, at the same time, yearning to experience for herself what it would be like to live it in the unreal world of fiction -- on paper.

This is a true novella with its beginning, middle, and end, in which the author proves that all's well that ends well.