Girl Giant and the Monkey King

by Van Hoang

Overview

From debut author Van Hoang comes Girl Giant and the Monkey King, a tale packed with magic, adventure, and middle-school woes—perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Roshani Chokshi.

Eleven-year-old Thom Ngho is keeping a secret: she’s strong. Like suuuuper strong. Freakishly strong. And it’s making it impossible for her to fit in at her new middle school.

In a desperate bid to get rid of her super strength, Thom makes a deal with the Monkey King, a powerful deity and legendary trickster she accidentally released from his 500-year prison sentence. Thom agrees to help the Monkey King get back his magical staff if he'll take away her strength.

Soon Thom is swept up in an ancient and fantastical world in where demons, dragons, and Jade princesses actually exist. But she quickly discovers that magic can’t cure everything, and dealing with the trickster god might be more trouble than it’s worth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250802798
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	12/07/2021
Series:	Girl Giant and the Monkey King Series , #1
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.40(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Van Hoang earned her bachelor’s degree in English at the University of New Mexico and her master’s in Library Information Science at San Jose State University. She is the author of novels for adults and young readers including Girl Giant and the Monkey King, Girl Giant and the Jade War, and Auntie Q's Golden Claws Nail Salon. She was born in Vietnam, grew in up Orange County, California, and now resides in Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

"Debut author Hoang’s fast-paced fantasy is sure to resonate with middle-grade readers as Thom navigates the difficulties of making friends, facing bullying, and handling the insecurities that sometimes come along with being from a culture that’s unfamiliar to others." —Booklist, starred review

“A fantastic tale of adventure, humor, and mischief.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This entertaining blend of the mundane and fantastical is packed with emotion and sure to strike a chord with readers." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Girl Giant and the Monkey King is the best kind of fantasy­ compelling in equal parts because of the magic and adventure and the heart of the characters." —Amber Reed of Copperfield's Books

"A tale that deals with important issues of fitting in and cultural understanding, while soaring into the realms of myth and magical adventure." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

★ 2020-08-04
Desperate to get rid of her abnormal strength and live a normal life, Thom turns to the trickster Monkey King for help.

Somehow, Thom Ngho has become incredibly strong. Strong enough to break windows and doors, strong enough to kick a soccer ball right through the goal’s netting. She has no idea how this came about or how to put an end to it, so she hides her powers, letting her soccer coach bench her, which is better than the alternative. To make matters worse, her mother has suddenly moved them from their home in California to Georgia, where Thom is the only Vietnamese American kid in a mostly White school. When the Monkey King appears in her bedroom one night, Thom realizes that the stories she heard growing up—about Monkey, the Boy Giant, and more—may really be true. With the dubious help of the Monkey King and a dragon who claims to be her protector, Thom sets out on a journey through Vietnamese folklore and mythology while simultaneously juggling school life and her relationship with her mother. Spinning a fantastic tale of adventure, humor, and mischief, Hoang also incorporates portrayals of racism, belonging, identity, and intergenerational differences that ring true, crafting a fantasy for the modern age with enough complications to hint at more to come. Charming spot art enhances the wonder of the fantasy elements.

At its core, a tale of magic and family strongly grounded in contemporary reality. (Fantasy. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews