The only Chinese American kid at his new school, Jin Wang is bullied, picked on, and ultimately left in loneliness. His feelings of isolation and exclusion are paralleled in the Chinese tale of the mythic Monkey King, who is determined to find acceptance among the immortals at any price.


Jin’s fury and frustration at the prejudice he experiences are mirrored by the embarrassment of all-American, blond-haired and blue-eyed Danny: in a wild, slapstick tale, Danny is tormented by the annual visit of his out-of-control Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee, a figure who embodies every grotesque racial stereotype. When Jin falls in love at his high school, all three stories come together in a conclusion that is both heartbreaking and honest.


Powerfully illustrated, this moving story speaks to anyone struggling to find acceptance.