Review Detail
Kids Fiction
153
fantastic action/adventure picture book
Overall rating
5.0
Plot/Characters/Writing Style
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
5.0
KAI AND THE MONKEY KING is an engaging and thrilling installment in the Brownstone's Mythical Collection series. In this book, we travel to the Brownstone family vault, which is unique because of the family who is sworn to protect and collect mythological creatures and artifacts. The narrator takes us to the story of the tenacious Kai and her mother, Wen.
A village requests their aid due to a mythical creature who appears once a year and wreaks havoc. Wen takes Kai to the library where she is sure they will find something to help the village. Kai, however, becomes impatient and begins to explore on her own. She finds a scroll about the Monkey King, and decides to request his aid in defeating the creature plaguing the village. However, things do not go as she planned.
What I loved: This book immediately draws the reader in and successfully delivers an engrossing story full of action/adventure and with some small lessons about listening to your elders/parents, learning who to trust, the value of books, and having more patience. The illustrations are gorgeous in Todd-Stanton's typical style, with loads of details and expressive characters. The story leaps off the pages. Even readers who are too young to enjoy the story can adore the lovely and detailed images that grace every page.
The text itself flows beautifully. This is the perfect length for the kindergarten and early elementary crowd to enjoy listening to (may be too difficult to read to themselves), but the storyline is fantastic and easy to follow. There's also a bit of a cliffhanger at the end (small one) that will leave readers clamoring for more.
Final verdict: Imaginative, engrossing, and beautifully illustrated, KAI AND THE MONKEY KING is a fantastic picture book that will appeal to kindergartners and early elementary school readers. Highly recommend picking this up for any children who love adventure, mythology, and a brave, young heroine. The added messages of patience and other valuable lessons are a bonus.
A village requests their aid due to a mythical creature who appears once a year and wreaks havoc. Wen takes Kai to the library where she is sure they will find something to help the village. Kai, however, becomes impatient and begins to explore on her own. She finds a scroll about the Monkey King, and decides to request his aid in defeating the creature plaguing the village. However, things do not go as she planned.
What I loved: This book immediately draws the reader in and successfully delivers an engrossing story full of action/adventure and with some small lessons about listening to your elders/parents, learning who to trust, the value of books, and having more patience. The illustrations are gorgeous in Todd-Stanton's typical style, with loads of details and expressive characters. The story leaps off the pages. Even readers who are too young to enjoy the story can adore the lovely and detailed images that grace every page.
The text itself flows beautifully. This is the perfect length for the kindergarten and early elementary crowd to enjoy listening to (may be too difficult to read to themselves), but the storyline is fantastic and easy to follow. There's also a bit of a cliffhanger at the end (small one) that will leave readers clamoring for more.
Final verdict: Imaginative, engrossing, and beautifully illustrated, KAI AND THE MONKEY KING is a fantastic picture book that will appeal to kindergartners and early elementary school readers. Highly recommend picking this up for any children who love adventure, mythology, and a brave, young heroine. The added messages of patience and other valuable lessons are a bonus.
Comments
Already have an account? Log in now or Create an account
Powered by JReviews
FEATURED GIVEAWAYS
Latest Book Listings Added
Sixteen-year-old Faith has always known she was different and her...
Set in the world of the New York Times–bestselling Winner’s...
Latest Member Reviews
"Cassie Worthy won't let a little thing like Mono hold her back from completing the Plan. It's the summer of..."
"SALTY, BITTER, SWEET is a book about family, forgiveness, grief, and following your passion. Isabella dreams of being a world-class..."
"break your glass slippers is the first book in the poetry series, “you are your own fairy tale,” by award-winning..."
"THE UPSIDE OF FALLING is a YA contemporary romance by Wattpad author Alex Light. The story follows Becca Hart, an..."
"THE WINTER DUKE is a thrilling YA fantasy that takes place in a world where magic is controlled by a..."
"MOST LIKELY is a fantastic YA contemporary about friendship. The book starts with a woman becoming president and reflecting back..."
"After our mindbending landing on the moon back in 1969, we’ve faltered in our quest to explore space. Mars seems..."
"Ivy and her twin sister Iris parents divorced when they were ten. Ivy got to live with their father and..."
"Sarah Goldstein, alias Ursulla Haller, is living right under Nazi rule in 1940 Germany. She's the Shirley Temple of the..."
"Naomi can't help but wonder if there was an ulterior motive behind the decision to kick Leo out of the..."
"Jane Austen in space….yes please! The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne is a futuristic retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion...."
" The story: After living in foster care since the death of her mother, Edie finally..."
"Sixteen-year-old Kira Fujikawa loves helping at her family shrine. She also has a paranormal ability. She sees the not only..."
"THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US is the highly devourable YA fantasy I have been searching for! This is an enthralling story..."
"The Betrothed is a brand new YA-novel set in the 15th century by Kiera Cass, whom we all know from..."
"‘First rule of storytelling,’ he says, a glint in his eyes.’ Everything is possible.’ Nell is..."
"Sixteen-year-old Manuela, 'Manu' is in hiding from her father's Argentinian crime family. She also runs the risk of being deported..."
"Reviewed for YA Books Central A book that should be on every teen's shelf. ..."
"Birdie and Daniel has the most awkward first encounter. So when Birdie started her job in a historic hotel, she..."
"I feel like I've been asleep for the last 31 years and I just woke up. I am woke. ..."
