GIRL GIANT AND THE MONKEY KING

Young listeners longing for #ownvoices mythological adventures will flock to this audiobook inspired by Vietnamese legends. As the story begins, Vietnamese-American middle schooler Thom doesn't want to be legendary--she just wants to fit in and make sure no one knows about her uncontrollable super strength. But staying low-profile becomes a lot more difficult once she's drawn into a magical quest with the fabled Monkey King. Narrator Kim Mai Guest demonstrates versatility in her characterizations, delivering with equal skill Thom's tween angst, her mother's Vietnamese-accented enthusiasm, and the Monkey King's bombastic playfulness. It's a performance that, when paired with the tantalizing cliff-hanger ending, will leave listeners eager for more. R.A.H. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2020]