This is the first in a series of There was a . . . books. It is a story about a monkey and a very tall tree. This tree is so tall it reaches above the earth. The monkey decides to climb this very tall tree so that he may see the whole world and be the "bravest that he can be." On the way, he meets several characters, each with their own reasons for climbing this tree. Hostile instincts are suppressed, moral lessons are learned, and friendship binds them as they come to understand that the world is a very beautiful place from the top of this tree. They say goodbye as friends and plan to meet there at the same time each year.