The Handsome Monkey King: A Chinese Classic for Children (Illustrated by David Seow)
A hardcover picture book adapted by Singaporean children's author David Seow for children aged three to eight and published by Tuttle.
The Monkey King: A Classic Chinese Tale for Children is written by Singaporean children's author David Seow and illustrated by Malaysian artist L.K. Tay-Audouard. A new edition was released by Tuttle Publishing in Japan in 2017, though the original version dates back to 2005. The book is a thirty-two-page, large-format hardcover designed for children aged three to eight. David Seow, a graduate of the University of Portland in the United States, began his career as an award-winning television sitcom writer before dedicating himself to children's literature. Using concise and rhythmic language, the book recounts the opening of Journey to the West: the Jade Emperor is troubled by the unrest in the mortal world, and Guanyin suggests sending Tang Sanzang to India to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures. Along the way, he is aided by the Handsome Monkey King of Flower-Fruit Mountain, embarking on a quest through realms of gods and demons. The illustrator employs museum-quality, detailed color painting, blending the tradition of Chinese scroll painting with modern children's book illustration to create visually stunning imagery. The book has been listed by numerous libraries and schools as an introductory text for East Asian folklore.