PRE-SALE — ENDS APRIL 7, 2026
Buy the Book. Save a Monkey Just Like Punch.
100% of net eBook and Print proceeds to be given directly to Born Free USA.
A full-color illustrated children's book for readers aged 3-93.
PRE-SALE NOW THROUGH APRIL 7
100% of all net eBook and Print proceeds to be given directly to Born Free USA.
Full-Color Illustrated Book
Official Partner: Born Free USA
Pre-Sale Closes April 7
THE PUNCH STORY
You’ve seen Punch. Now meet the book he inspired.
Punch is a Japanese macaque at the Ichikawa Zoological Park in Japan. Rejected by his troop. Clinging to a stuffed orangutan for comfort. Hoping to belong.
Millions of people saw something in that image — attachment, longing, the need to belong. I saw my book.
In 2008 I wrote a children’s story about a small troop of snow monkeys living in a silver mining cave on Aspen Mountain. I made the whole thing up. I had never heard of a Japanese macaque. I didn’t know animals like this existed.
Four years later I watched the 1998 Nagano Olympics and a human interest piece came on: real Japanese snow monkeys bathing in the hot springs of Jigokudani Monkey Park. I was speechless.
When I saw Punch, I knew it was time to do something. That’s why I created this eBook. And that’s why every dollar of pre-sale profit goes to Born Free USA.
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Furry Mountain Monkeys of Aspen Colorado
A full-color illustrated picture book. Originally published in 2008. Now relaunched for the story’s most important chapter yet.
Deep in a silver mining cave on Aspen Mountain, a small troop of snow monkeys has made their home — surviving, thriving, and finding their place in the world. Told through the eyes of a boy who discovers their secret, this is a story about acceptance, belonging, and the extraordinary kindness of creatures who didn’t have to help but did.
BOOK SPECS:
- Format: Full-color illustrated PDF
- Delivery: April 7, 2026
- Price: $9.95
- Illustrated by: Katie Viola
- Written by: Vince Lahey
- Originally published: 2008
BORN FREE USA PARTNERSHIP
Where your money goes
Born Free USA is a national nonprofit dedicated to keeping wildlife in the wild and protecting animals in captivity from suffering. Their Primate Sanctuary provides lifetime care for primates who can’t be released — animals who, through no fault of their own, find themselves alone and in need of a safe place to land.
Through April 7, 100% of net proceeds from every sale of The Furry Mountain Monkeys of Aspen Colorado go directly to Born Free USA. This is not a rounding error or a marketing claim. It is a formal partnership agreement, signed and in place.
After April 7, the split becomes 50/50 — ongoing, for every sale, forever.
“This book is for Punch — and for anyone who has ever needed to be found.” — Vince Lahey
Pre-sale closes April 7. Don’t miss 100%.
Enter your name and email to get the book. After April 7, the donation drops to 50%.
About the Author
Vince Lahey is a storyteller, former ski coach, TV broadcaster, and certified charity auctioneer who spent decades as an Aspen, Colorado personality before relocating to Carefree, Arizona. He studied psychology and anthropology at the University of Colorado Boulder and has had a lifelong fascination with animal behavior and the emotional lives of primates. He wrote The Furry Mountain Monkeys of Aspen Colorado in 1994 and published it in 2008. He is relaunching it now because Punch made him realize the story wasn’t finished.
Live life like a monkey.
ADDRESS:
6432 E El Sendero Rd., Carefree, Arizona 85377
LEGAL INFORMATION
A portion of every sale supports Born Free USA. Pre-sale net proceeds donated 100% through April 7, 2026. 50/50 split on ongoing sales thereafter. The Furry Mountain Monkeys of Aspen Colorado © Vince Lahey / Huck Monkey Productions. Illustrations © Katie Viola.