The Story of Dago

"The Story of Dago" by Annie Fellows Johnston is a late 19th-century children's novel that tells the tale of Dago, a spirited monkey who shares his life's adventures with a mirror monkey, beginning with memories from his jungle home, continuing with his time performing in a traveling circus after he was captured, and culminating in his adoption into an American household. Through Dago's eyes, the story looks at themes of family ties, dealing with loss, and making changes to fit into new places, with attention to the relationships he develops with the children in his new family. As Dago tells about his journey and funny views on how people act and household relationships, readers are taken into a charming and sincere story that shows the difficulties of feeling like you belong and forming friendships. This beginning leads to Dago's growing connection with the family and their difficulties as they deal with personal losses.