The Magical Monkey King: Mischief in Heaven - Softcover

Jiang, Ji-Li

Softcover

ISBN 10: 006442149X ISBN 13: 9780064421492

Publisher: Trophy Pr, 2002

Synopsis

The mischievous Monkey King attempts to achieve immortality the easy way, gains god-like powers, and wreaks havoc in heaven. Simultaneous.

About this title

About the Author:

Ji-li Jiang was born in Shanghai, China, in 1954. She graduated from Shanghai Teacher's College and Shanghai University and was a science teacher before she came to the United States in 1984. After her graduation from the University of Hawaii, Ms. Jiang worked as an operations analyst for a hotel chain in Hawaii, then as a budget director for a health care company in Chicago. In 1992, she started her own company, East West Exchange, to promote cultural exchange between Western countries and China. Ms. Jiang lives in the San Francisco area. This is her first book for children.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 2-6-One of the best-loved figures in Chinese popular culture is the trickster Monkey King. Early traditional stories about him coalesced into Wu Cheng-en's 16th-century epic novel Journey to the West, which uses 100 chapters to chronicle the insouciant, courageous hero's adventures. In this engaging version of his story, Jiang begins with Monkey's birth on the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits. After proving himself to the monkey tribe, who choose him as their king, Monkey tries to learn the secret of immortality, travels under the sea to steal a powerful weapon from the Dragon King, and wreaks havoc at the heavenly court of the Jade Emperor. Only Buddha can stop his mischief, and does so in a scene that works as exciting action and profound metaphor. Lively, colloquial language distinguishes this telling, and Su-Kennedy's black-and-white woodcuts enhance the action. Jiang's format serves the old tale better than the two picture-book retellings currently available, Ed Young's Monkey King (HarperCollins, 2001) and Robert Kraus and Debby Chen's The Making of Monkey King (Pan Asian, 1998). David Kherdian's Monkey: A Journey to the West (Shambhala, 1992) abridges the entire story for adults and is accessible to middle and high school students. Jiang's is the best version for elementary school students, and libraries will want it as a good story for younger fantasy lovers, whether or not it is used as an introduction to authentic Chinese literature.
Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Trophy Pr
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 006442149X
• ISBN 13: 9780064421492
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 128
• Illustrator: Su-Kennedy Hui Hui