The Handsome Monkey King: A Superhero Tale from China
A 2005 retelling by American children's author Aaron Shepard, focusing on the early legends of the Handsome Monkey King and his imprisonment beneath the Five-Elements Mountain.
Monkey: A Superhero Tale of China is a retelling of Journey to the West by American children's author Aaron Shepard, first published by Skyhook Press in 2005 and later reissued in 2017 as part of the "Skyhook World Classics" series by Skyhorse Publishing. Spanning 44 pages, the book is positioned as an introductory read for middle-grade readers aged ten and above. Using the concept of the "superhero" as an entry point, Shepard introduces young English-speaking readers to the Great Sage of China—a figure with a history far older than Superman or Spider-Man. He is a being of immense strength, capable of cloud-riding and challenging gods and Buddhas, though he also suffers a crushing defeat. The book excerpts only the plot from the first seven chapters of the original novel: the birth of the Stone Monkey, his studies at Spirit Terrace Mountain, his havoc in the Dragon Palace and the Heavenly Palace, and his eventual imprisonment under the Five-Elements Mountain by Rulai Buddha—the story of Sun Wukong's first failure. Shepard's prose is brisk and rhythmic, carefully preserving the narrative flavor of the original classic. Critics regard it as an excellent popularization of the Journey to the West story within the realm of English children's literature, making it suitable as reading material for American classrooms.