Author(s): David Seow

Myths and Legends

Age range 3 to 9A timeless and inspiring Chinese tale brought to life for Western children!The Monkey King: A Classic Chinese Tale for Children retells the story of the Buddhist monk Tripitaka who is dispatched by the Jade Emperor of Heaven on a magical quest to bring the Sacred Scriptures of the Buddha to China in order to save the nation from chaos. It describes in turn how the monk meets three brave traveling companions — Monkey, Pigsy and Sandy — each of whom has a very odd appearance but special powers and a strong personality. Along the way they face frequent battles with enemies and often quarrel amongst themselves like children. But in the end their loyalty to each other and to their common goal ultimately wins the day.The most beloved character in the story is of course the hilarious Monkey — mischievous and full of energy, constantly on the move and constantly creating problems for the others. But Monkey has amazing magical powers that enable him to transform himself into other living beings and to summon an army of monkeys to his side at a moment's notice. Much to the consternation of his comrades, however, he is continually boasting about his abilities. But in the end he is the one who saves the others and allows them to overcome their ordeals.Children of all ages will be entertained and inspired by this heartwarming tale of adversity and survival.