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Finally, here's a novel that knocks my socks offSock monkeys are the new robots. Wait, I take that back: Sock monkeys are actually the old robots. They predate them by at least 20 years. But, in the same way Will Smith gave 'bots a little boost this summer, I'm hoping Penn Jillette will help make the funky monkeys cool again. Many know Jillette as half — the tall, talkative half — of magic act Penn & Teller. Last month St. Martins Press published his first book, Sock, a crime novel narrated by a sock monkey. Even though the page-turner has kept me awake four nights in a row, I realize Sock is not a story for everyone. Certain readers might not be open to a sock monkey's unfiltered thoughts about death, God and rock 'n' roll. Nor will all people appreciate the dark humor, sex and raw language uttered by Sock's stuffed narrator, also known as "Dickie." Through the monkey, readers learn about its owner, a police diver who discovers his ex-girlfriend's body in the Hudson River and is compelled to find her killer. (Related item: Read the first chapter of Sock) Certain readers might not have the patience for Dickie's rapid-fire pop-culture references, either. Jillette throws in everything from Bob Dylan lyrics to lines from Plan 9 From Outer Space in nearly every paragraph. The Beatles come up at least 24 times — and only two of those shout-outs refer to Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey. No, not everyone can handle all that gritty goodness packed into 228 pages. But we can all get behind sock monkeys, right? Aside from the satisfaction of devouring a great story and inviting writing (imagine if Tom Robbins, Lester Bangs and Stephen King collaborated on a novel), Sock helped me gain a newfound appreciation for the stuffed creatures. A little research told me sock monkeys originated in the early 1900s, when mothers began crafting Red Heel socks into cheap toys for their children. Buy a pair today, and you'll get the same sock-monkey instructions the company began including in 1920. Over the years, sock monkey fans have come and gone. Stores carry them from time to time then lose interest when the next trend comes along. Several fan sites have cropped up and gone neglected like, well, an old sock monkey. Sock is the most publicity monkeys have received in a while, but if you pay attention, you'll notice several other, smaller sock monkeys in our midst, such as: • Sock Monkey Boogie-Woogie by Cece Bell (Candlewick Press, $14.99). In the 2003 children's book Sock Monkey Goes to Hollywood, Bell's character was a famous, award-winning actor. Details about Boogie-Woogie are unclear (it comes out in November), but I'm hoping they don't involve a strip club, a crack habit or a potato-head pimp named Spud. •Rocko and Spanky Go to a Party by Kara and Jenna LeReau (Harcourt Children's, $15). This new kids' tale follows twin sock monkeys as they shop for a birthday present and head to a fancy party on their Vespa scooter. • Tony Millionaire's Sock Monkey: Uncle Gabby by Tony Millionaire (Dark Horse Comics, $14.95). Millionaire's award-winning Sock Monkey comics are some of the best things to ever happen to the critters. His latest book came out in June. •Hey Hey, We're the Sock Monkeys!. The new WB sitcom stars Dave Foley, Justine Bateman and rapper Ja Rule as three slacker sock monkeys trapped in a spaceship, trying to find themselves — and their way home. OK, so I made up that last one. I couldn't help it. Sock monkeys beg for invention. It's easy to see why Penn Jillette couldn't help himself. Sock monkeys haven't enjoyed nearly the level of fame in literature and film as robots, gnomes and giants, so I'm glad they're getting recognized. Maybe this year, thanks in part to Sock and friends, they'll finally get their place in the Toy Hall of Fame. Speaking of fame, the good folks of Rockford, Ill., are trying to establish their town as the birthplace of the sock monkey. (It's where the red-heeled sock originated in the 1800s.) The local museum plans a sock monkey exhibit in the spring, complete with fiberglass monkeys painted by Rockford children. Last month the city even sent a seven-foot inflatable monkey, Nelson, to New York to try to drum up some publicity. While I'd prefer to hang out with Sock's mischievous Dickie, I hope Nelson was successful in his mission. Why not give monkeys a minute in the spotlight? Hey, if we're lucky, sock monkeys (not robots!) might even take over the world one day. Pop Candy is a weekly column about popular culture. Click here to visit the archive. Click here to read Hip Clicks, Whitney's daily blog. E-mail Whitney Matheson at wmatheson@usatoday.com. | 
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