Available Formats
Girl Giant and the Monkey King
By (Author) Van Hoang
St Martin's Press
St Martin's Press
22nd February 2022
United States
Children
Fiction
813.6
Paperback
384
Width 129mm, Height 198mm
Eleven-year-old Thom Ngoh is keeping a secret: She's strong. Like, suuuuper strong. Freakishly strong. And it's making it impossible for Thom to fit in at her new middle school. In a desperate bid to get rid of her super strength, she makes a deal with the Monkey King, a powerful deity and legendary trickster. Thom will help him get back his magical staff if he'll take away her strength. Soon she is swept up in a centuries-old world where demons, dragons, and Jade princesses actually exist. But Thom quickly discovers that magic can't cure everything, and dealing with the trickster god might be more trouble than it's worth.
"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
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 was born in Vietnam, grew in up Orange County, California, and now resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two dogs.