Author of 'Curious George' Speaks at Dunster House

"Don't think of money, and work as hard as you can," Margret E. Ray, author of the famous "Curious George" children's books, said last night to aspiring writers in an informal discussion with Harvard students at the Dunster House careers table.

Rey advised students to send their manuscripts to publishers.

"Publishers are in business just like underwear people are in business--they are only interested in selling. Keep sending," she said.

The "Curious George" series is well known throughout the world. The little monkey became tremendously popular soon after the 1938 publication in France and England of the first book, titled simply "Curious George."

The mischievous character, George, is known as "Fifi" to the French and "Zozo" to the English (the name "George" was avoided because it might have been impolite to King George).

"The success amazes me still, every day of the year," said Rey. "It's a crazy success," she added, citing the games, puzzles, posters, jewelry and other paraphernalia bearing "Curious George's" picture.

Rey's career as a children's writer was launched when a French publisher asked her husband, a newspaper illustrator, to write and illustrate children's stories. Rey began writing the words to match her husband's pictures. The first effort was "Cecily O and the Nine Monkeys."

"Curious George" was Rey's second book. She and her husband had not intended to write successive books about the little monkey, but widespread acclaim for George persuaded them to continue his adventures.

In each of the seven "Curious George" stories, Rey said, George "gets himself into trouble by curiosity and gets out by ingenuity."

In addition to the "Curious George" stories, Rey and her husband have published over 20 children's books.

Rey is not sure why the "Curious George" stories are so successful. She said that part of the reason may be that George "does things children would like to do but can't."

Rey is currently supervising and editing the script of a Canadian television film of "Curious George."

Rey, an American citizen of German birth, has lived in Cambridge since 1963.