I never like it when someone says "It's like popular thing X but with Y" because that's usually not a great indicator to the story... But this REALLY is like Percy Jackson. The biggest difference is I grew up learning Greek and Roman gods as part of history class, so I am not as familiar with Eastern mythology as I am with Western. And it's amazing to be learning along with the character!

Adventure, Learning to accept who you are and stand up for yourself, understanding cultural identity, along with a mischievous god and a dragon? What's not to love here?!

Unlike many Western legends, the Monkey King Sun Wukong is morally contradictory. Mischievous? Evil? Can he be trusted, and if so, to what extent? In this first of an anticipated series, we are introduced to an apparently average daughter, Thom (of a South Vietnamese mother), who suddenly develops superhuman strength. She accidentally releases the Monkey King from captivity, and he seems to be her mentor. But is he? Interesting questions of trust, coercion, and consent are presented, along with the theme of pervasive racism and otherism in Thom's school and soccer team. A promising beginning to a supernatural series.

I received this e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thom Ngho, age 11, is unhappy. She has just moved with her mother from California to Georgia, leaving her friends behind. She is having a hard time fitting in and getting bullied by two girls on her soccer team. On top of all that, Thom is super strong, like-rip-doors-off-hinges-accidentally strong. During a soccer game, she kicked the ball into the goalie and broke her ribs. Soon she meets Sun Wukong, the mischievous Monkey King demon-god. He convinces Thom that he can help her control her power. However, Thom really just wants her super strength gone. She makes a deal with the Monkey King to get back his cudgel in exchange for making her normal again. But can the powerful trickster god be trusted?

I didn’t like this book as much as I thought I would. Thom’s bullies seemed especially cruel. Thom comes across as immature, but she is only eleven. This book introduces many to the Vietnamese gods, many of whom are seen in Chinese fantasy books as well. That being said, I would still recommend this book for readers in grades 3 and up.

#GirlGiantAndTheMonkeyKing #NetGalley

*Thanks to NetGalley for an eARC of this title.*

Thom Ngho is 11, and everything is changing. Her mother just moved her from California - where she was a star soccer player, had an awesome best friend, and you could get bubble tea on every corner - to upstate New York, where she knows nobody. She joined the soccer team in an effort to make friends, but lately she's having a harder and harder time controlling her super strength. It's not a cool superpower, like being able to lift up a semi-truck (though she can totally do that), but it's more, kicking a soccer ball so hard the goalie goes backward through the net with broken ribs, and knocking down a lamppost by leaning on it. IT STINKS.

Then, she accidentally unleashes the Monkey King - it really was an accident! - and makes a deal with him to help her get rid of her powers. She knows he's a trickster god... but he's been so nice! It's not like she can trust anyone else, can she?

Reader's Notes: A well-written demigod story, though Thom really isn't super likeable at the beginning.

Middle grade books with mythology are probably my favorite middle grades. Ever since Rick Riordan's imprint, I've become obsessed with books that make mythology and diverse cultures more accessible for younger readers. While Girl Giant and the Monkey King might skew a bit younger than some of the other Riordan stories, it shares the discussion about culture. Set in a contemporary setting, Thom struggles to accept her powers and identity.

This struggle became emotional to me as she does not want to embrace her Vietnamese roots (for culture day and lunch boxes). How her differences mark her apart from her peers in her new school and how, despite her ethnicity, she doesn't seem to be able to just fit in. For me, middle school was about trying to fit in, figuring out who we are in the midst of our peers, and how it feels to know you're the Outsider.

This one took me awhile to get into, but once the focus moved beyond Thom's ongoing angst about her lack of friends and her soccer-related fears and into the heavy magical/fantasy/mythological content I was hooked. The comparisons to Rick Riordan's various series (and, in particular, his 'Rick Riordan Presents' catalog) are justified, although the work might skew a bit younger than most of his works. Familiarity with the Vietnamese pantheon is unnecessary as Van Hoang does an excellent job of explaining the lore, key figures, and importance of every supernatural being encountered.

A delightful retelling of the Monkey King with an empowering girl protagonist. The use of this book when teaching traditional tales will add to the diversity of texts for students to read. A comparison/contrast of the traditional Monkey King to this adaptation will provide students with a broader sense of traditional tales from around the world.

Girl Giant and the Monkey King is the first book in a new series and I hope there are many more. This series will focus on Vietnamese gods and introduces readers to the various immortals in this culture. Thom doesn't understand why she's so strong and tries to hide it but it is hard to do when she is playing soccer and breaking to goal. I am already looking forward to book two.

Thom, a Viatnamese girl, is suddenly forced to move from her California home to Georgia after she discovered she has some super natural abilities. Super strength. So strong she can break things she should be able to and kick the soccer ball right through the net. Landing in Georgia in a mostly white school she feels out of place and alone. She calls on the Monkey King for help.

I enjoyed this book. I like reading mythology from other cultures and this book does a good job. A great blend of adventure and fantasy, I will be recommending this book to a lot of people.

I received an electronic ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group through NetGalley.
An excellent entry in the current world mythologies books. Van Hoang focuses on Vietnamese gods and introduces readers to the various immortals in this culture. Thom doesn't understand why she's so strong and tries to hide it. Not easy to do when one soccer kick not only scores the goal but breaks the back of the net and continues on; she also injures the goalie when it hits her too. Her mom and she have moved to the other side of the country - California, to keep her safe.
Accidentally releasing the Monkey King launches adventures beyond the human world and the ending is open so book #2 can pick up the quest.
Readers will relate to the swirl of emotions and choices Thom makes as she figures out who to trust. She makes several mistakes along the way just like any other young teenager. She also learns and attempts to solve the situations she created. The character interactions allow readers to feel like they are standing beside them and experiencing the adventures too.
Looking forward to the next book.

This book will definitely appeal to kids that enjoy Rick Riordan presents and other middle grade mythology books. It has lots of fun action and it's great watching Thom learn to master her powers. It also shows some of the things minority students can experience in predominately white environments.

Thom Ngho is freakishly strong, the kind of strength that you expect to see in superheroes. Her strength makes Thom feel self-conscious especially when she is desperately trying to blend into her new middle school. After inadvertently releasing the Monkey King, a legendary trickster, Thom is swept into a world of gods, demons, and magic.

This is a fantastic book with a main character who is Vietnamese American. Hoang did a wonderful job of showing how Thom was torn between wanting to fit in and seeing how her culture played a part in her identity. Girl Giant and the Monkey King is full of well-developed characters and mythology which will most likely be new to many readers. The book sets up for a sequel and I already can't wait to read Thom's further adventures.

This is a great book for diversity because it blends discrimination awareness with a great adventure story line. Thom is a great character. The plot to the story is an interesting fantasy/adventure story. We see Thom and how she is treated at school. We learn what it's like to grow up without a dad, being embarrassed by the her mother's accent and not treated very well by her peers. We also get an intriguing story about the Monkey King and the gods in the heavens. I did not want to put this book down as I couldn't wait to find out more. The book does leave us with an unsolved problem but I assume that is because there is a book two coming! Students (particularly those who enjoy the Percy Jackson series) will enjoy the adventure and hopefully gain a little more cultural sensitivity as they see things through Thom' s eyes!