The Handsome Monkey King Wreaks Havoc in Heaven (Illustrated by Debby Chen)
This illustrated volume retells the epic saga of the Handsome Monkey King's defiant rebellion against the Heavenly Palace.
Monkey King Wreaks Havoc in Heaven is a bilingual children's picture book rewritten by Debby Chen and illustrated by Wenhai Ma. Published in 2001 by Pan Asian Publications in Industry City, California, it is the second volume in the Adventures of Monkey King series. The book is a thirty-eight-page hardcover large-format edition, measuring approximately 8.75 by 11.25 inches, with the main text arranged in parallel English and Traditional Chinese. It is specifically designed for children aged four to eight to read independently or as a shared reading experience with parents. The story is adapted from chapters three through seven of Journey to the West, detailing the entire process after the Stone Monkey returns from his studies: first traveling to the East Sea Dragon Palace to forcibly seize the Ruyi Jingu Bang, breaking into the Netherworld to destroy the Book of Life and Death, and subsequently battling various divine generals in Heaven—rising from the rank of Keeper of the Heavenly Horses to the Great Sage Equal to Heaven—before finally wreaking havoc at the Peach Banquet. Wenhai Ma utilizes a bold and vivid traditional Chinese gongbi painting style for the compositions, blending elements of opera face-painting and folk New Year prints, allowing young readers to experience the visual allure of Eastern mythology. The series is also accompanied by an animated DVD version.