COCO And Friends
The story of a capuchin monkey and his adventures
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With a full belly, he moved around the kitchen and spotted an ipod. H'ed seen many of the little people that had visited his home with these and he loved them because they always seemed to be playing songs he and the gang loved to dance to. Only this time he was dancing by himself. After a while, it wasn't as much fun and he danced his way into the next room where he spotted a monkey. It appeared to be a really handsome monkey and he wanted to see it up close, so he started toward it. He asked the monkey, "What is your name? Mine is Coco and I am from the jungle". He could see that the monkey's mouth moved as he talked to it but no sound other than his own came out. As he got closer and was able to touch the other monkey, he realized it was himself. He was looking in a mirror. He laughed and laughed that he could have thought it was another monkey, but it was the first time he'd seen what he looked like. "Wow, what a handsome monkey you are Coco", he said out loud to himself.
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About the Book
"COCO And Friends, The story of a capuchin monkey and his adventures" is primarily based on actual events and primates who were rescued and now inhabit the newly developed and open to tourist (fall 2010), Monkey Jungle of Dominicanana, located in Sosua, Dominican Republic. Coco, being the first adopted capuchin monkey runs the show down in their grotto, so he believes. After his friends all start ganging up on him and ignoring him because he teases others, sticks his tongue out at everyone and steals things from the tourist because he believes he is a human primate and better than his friends, Coco decides he has no choice but to run away from home. The story chronicles his adventures as he seeks out to experience all of the things that he has heard the tourist talking about while visiting them in the jungle. Coco fly's a plane, then takes a few cars for a spin. Meanwhile, he stumbles upon a nice house with a great big swimming pool. He introduces himself to the family dog and then takes a swim before heading inside to find that no-one is home. All excited, he immediately begins the search for the refrigerator he has heard about, as he is starving. He winds up in the dryer, the dishwasher and then finally finds the infamous refrigerator. It is all he had ever dreamed it would be and he enjoys himself immensely before washing up in the sink. As he begins to really miss his freiends back in the jungle, he feels sad and he searches for other adventures to keep him occupied. He dances to a few of his favorite tunes on their ipod, then heads for the closet and enjoys a fashion show with the human primates baby clothes that he finds. Just as he lies down to relax awhile he hears voices, the human kind and they are getting louder by the second. There is more than one. Coco begins to get really nervous. What follows is an experience he nor they will ever forget. It will make you smile, laugh and leave you with such a feeling of excitement that you will want to go and visit Coco and all of his friends in person. And fortunately, you actually can.
About the Author
Candy Ritzen spends the majority of her time working on behalf of the 501c3 nonprofit organization called Haitian and Dominican Assistance Corporation that she and her husband founded in 2008. She began her love affair with primates as a young child. Recently, she found a way to combine her passion for volunteering with children and orphans in third world countries. A few years back Candy and her husband spent 6 months cruising the world in their yacht. After spending quite some time in Dominican Republic and Haiti, they quickly fell in love with the sincerety and humility of the people there and they realized there was such a real need for assistance and began volunteering their time. They made a joint decision to sell their boat and set up residence on the North Coast of D.R. where they opened a free medical and dental clinic for the poor in a very rural community. In addition, she heads a food program for HIV positive individuals, elderly and many others who are not capable of providing for themselves. In hopes of expanding the clinic and providing more services, she found a way to hopefully help subsidize the clinic, medications and surgeries that they fund by creating a Monkey Jungle in a natural park area on their mountainous farm land and a zip line/canopy tour and cave exploration for the tourist to ineratct with the monkeys while zipping through the mountains. Most of the primates have been rescued and all live in the newly developed project and zoological park that is now known as Monkey Jungle of Dominicana, located in Sosua ( Puerto Plata), Dominican Republic. Candy has spent many years volunteering with primates and studying their behaviors throughout the world before adopting the ones who call Monkey Jungle their home. She holds a BS in Business Management and Music Business and a Masters in Psychology. Candy is the Co-owner and director of the project. When not at the project, she makes quick trips back to their home in Nashville, TN to recruit volunteer doctors, dentist, nurses, teachers and anyone else that stands still long enough to listen. Her first book is primarily based on actual events and primates at the jungle and their specific behaviors and personalities. Her magnificantly poignant description of COCO and his adventures along with her photography will melt the hearts of all ages. All profits from the sell of this book will go toward the aid the free medical and dental clinic is providing, as well as to fund her food program and other projects that the non profit corporation funds such as drilling wells in Haiti.