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Monkey King #1
Uproar in Heaven
Drawing from classic Chinese adventure Journey to the West, Alina Chau’s bright new adaptation centers on the Monkey King’s wild beginnings and brings one of mythology’s most unforgettable troublemakers to life in a whole new way.
Sun Wukong wasn’t born in the usual way―he hatched from an egg atop Hua Guo Mountain, full of big dreams and an even bigger attitude. With a shape-shifting staff, a cloud he can ride like lightning, and an unstoppable belief in himself, Wukong isn’t just another monkey . . . he’s the Monkey King.
When word of his wild powers reaches the Heavenly Realm, the gods try to keep him close to prevent any chaos. But Wukong didn’t come all this way to play by someone else’s rules. And when he decides to shake things up, the skies themselves might not be ready for the storm he’s about to unleash. Can one monkey’s mischief really cause an uproar in heaven?
Combining Alina's sumptuous, dreamy art with a faithful, respectful adaptation of a favorite mythical tale, Uproar in Heaven still manages to be as much fun as a barrel full of monkeys.
Sun Wukong wasn’t born in the usual way―he hatched from an egg atop Hua Guo Mountain, full of big dreams and an even bigger attitude. With a shape-shifting staff, a cloud he can ride like lightning, and an unstoppable belief in himself, Wukong isn’t just another monkey . . . he’s the Monkey King.
When word of his wild powers reaches the Heavenly Realm, the gods try to keep him close to prevent any chaos. But Wukong didn’t come all this way to play by someone else’s rules. And when he decides to shake things up, the skies themselves might not be ready for the storm he’s about to unleash. Can one monkey’s mischief really cause an uproar in heaven?
Combining Alina's sumptuous, dreamy art with a faithful, respectful adaptation of a favorite mythical tale, Uproar in Heaven still manages to be as much fun as a barrel full of monkeys.
240 pages, Paperback
Published September 8, 2026
About the author
Alina Chau
21 books41 followersAlina Chau (周曉芬) is an award-winning filmmaker and artist. Her credits include the Emmy Award-winning Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series, and numerous best-selling games. She illustrated The Nian Monster, which received the 2018 APALA Picture Book Honor. Having grown up in Hong Kong in an Indonesian-Chinese family during the British colonial era, her creative vision is strongly influenced by a diverse mix of cultures. She finds inspiration in her grandmother's stories, colorful sarongs, and delicate wooden sculptures from Southeast Asia, as well as in the aroma of stinky tofu, and the sound of Hong Kong tram bells chiming. Alina's unique cultural heritage strongly influences her artistic and storytelling voice. Her whimsical illustration style is highly sought after for art exhibitions worldwide. Her lyrical watercolors have garnered her a devoted fan base and the accolades of her peers.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Unfortunately, I have a mixed review for this. It's a beautiful graphic novel, with an art style evoking classical Chinese art from the 1600s-1900s, such as what was used for the 2012 revised edition of Anthony C. Yu's English translation of "Journey to the West", and it's a very easy read and touches on a lot of important elements of the novel in question in regard to Sun Wukong's origin story, and for that, I respect it. But it potentially changes some things that are a bit odd, and I'm not sure how I feel about that.
With the caveat I am not a scholar of "Journey to the West", Chinese literature, Buddhism, Daoism, or Confucianism, or Chinese history, have not read the original Chinese version of the novel, and have only read the first volume of Yu's translation (and no other translations), I struggled with this adaptation. This is not the first adaptation of the novel I've engaged with, and all that I've seen have their own changes for better and worse. But this one made very pointed, intentional modernizations while removing things that I felt were at cross-purposes to the goal.
The graphic novel doesn't ignore that Wukong is a very self-centered character at times and makes a mess of everything, but changes his journey from one who is generally focused on his followers to one who in particular has a backstory with one, so far as I'm aware, made-up grandmother monkey, somewhat incorporating the version of the original text where Lishan Laomu is styled as Wukong's family member. And that's fine, given the original novel's odd way of handling female characters and different versions of the story exist. Maybe that's why, say, a version of the story that perhaps seeks, to a degree, to be better with female characters, has entirely removed any reference to Guanyin (and yes, I know Guanyin's gender changes across tellings), as well as the female monkeys who are appointed as Wukong's generals. To give Wukong a sympathetic backstory is fine for a modern retelling, and being different isn't an issue. But it drastically changes his character. Yes, most of the monkeys he led aren't given personalities (though a number are named, including those female generals who aren't in this at all now), and this is fine for exploring them better, too, but I just question what was changed to create this. What was the goal here?
The original story dealt a lot with perception, bias, gossip, and lying, and how people often change or lie about Wukong's actions to make themselves more sympathetic. To a degree, that's present here, but lessened, in the sense that we learn from the officials first about Wukong's actions before seeing them. It makes the prose much less repetitive, which is appreciated, given how long-winded the original novel is. But the exclusion of Wukong's quest for immortality or his studying under Puti Zushi (which he likely appreciates) outside a couple dialogue bubbles as people mostly speculate about it happening at all and Wukong being kicked out by the teacher in question, Wukong being dragged down to the afterlife by a dubiously corrupt and overlarge bureaucracy as a criticism of such things, and how he broke back out rather than he broke IN to help someone, or the entire exclusion of the demon leaders, which is why Wukong is considered a leader of demons, which makes a reference to him later in the graphic novel as a demon king make no sense at all, all felt really weird. Many of the things he does are related through the words of someone else, not drawn on page (e.g., someone notes that he found the waterfall on a dare, rather than randomly seeing it, as is shown in the opening of the graphic novel).
Wukong felt like a fascinating character in the original novel not because he's easily sympathetic. He's a playful trickster who makes the reader root for him and question what he's doing and why, and what the immortals he's messing with are up to: why ARE they hoarding all these treasures? What gives them the right to judge others? How do bureaucratic mess-ups lead to great disaster for those not blessed with longevity and powerful friends, and why are the powerful gifted things rather than punished when they commit crimes? The graphic novel also relates this to a degree, but the changes feel rather unnecessary, and trying, frustratingly, to make Wukong a better character than he is. I imagine Chau knows the story far better than I do, and kudos to them for their adaptation. I'm sure that for the version they remember from childhood, loved into adulthood, and are writing fanfiction of, this is great for them, and I like having a fully illustrated version of the opening of this story (despite the changes). And I wish others who like this version a good time. All in all, it's not a bad adaptation, and it is a decent introduction for early readers into the opening of the greater novel.
With the caveat I am not a scholar of "Journey to the West", Chinese literature, Buddhism, Daoism, or Confucianism, or Chinese history, have not read the original Chinese version of the novel, and have only read the first volume of Yu's translation (and no other translations), I struggled with this adaptation. This is not the first adaptation of the novel I've engaged with, and all that I've seen have their own changes for better and worse. But this one made very pointed, intentional modernizations while removing things that I felt were at cross-purposes to the goal.
The graphic novel doesn't ignore that Wukong is a very self-centered character at times and makes a mess of everything, but changes his journey from one who is generally focused on his followers to one who in particular has a backstory with one, so far as I'm aware, made-up grandmother monkey, somewhat incorporating the version of the original text where Lishan Laomu is styled as Wukong's family member. And that's fine, given the original novel's odd way of handling female characters and different versions of the story exist. Maybe that's why, say, a version of the story that perhaps seeks, to a degree, to be better with female characters, has entirely removed any reference to Guanyin (and yes, I know Guanyin's gender changes across tellings), as well as the female monkeys who are appointed as Wukong's generals. To give Wukong a sympathetic backstory is fine for a modern retelling, and being different isn't an issue. But it drastically changes his character. Yes, most of the monkeys he led aren't given personalities (though a number are named, including those female generals who aren't in this at all now), and this is fine for exploring them better, too, but I just question what was changed to create this. What was the goal here?
The original story dealt a lot with perception, bias, gossip, and lying, and how people often change or lie about Wukong's actions to make themselves more sympathetic. To a degree, that's present here, but lessened, in the sense that we learn from the officials first about Wukong's actions before seeing them. It makes the prose much less repetitive, which is appreciated, given how long-winded the original novel is. But the exclusion of Wukong's quest for immortality or his studying under Puti Zushi (which he likely appreciates) outside a couple dialogue bubbles as people mostly speculate about it happening at all and Wukong being kicked out by the teacher in question, Wukong being dragged down to the afterlife by a dubiously corrupt and overlarge bureaucracy as a criticism of such things, and how he broke back out rather than he broke IN to help someone, or the entire exclusion of the demon leaders, which is why Wukong is considered a leader of demons, which makes a reference to him later in the graphic novel as a demon king make no sense at all, all felt really weird. Many of the things he does are related through the words of someone else, not drawn on page (e.g., someone notes that he found the waterfall on a dare, rather than randomly seeing it, as is shown in the opening of the graphic novel).
Wukong felt like a fascinating character in the original novel not because he's easily sympathetic. He's a playful trickster who makes the reader root for him and question what he's doing and why, and what the immortals he's messing with are up to: why ARE they hoarding all these treasures? What gives them the right to judge others? How do bureaucratic mess-ups lead to great disaster for those not blessed with longevity and powerful friends, and why are the powerful gifted things rather than punished when they commit crimes? The graphic novel also relates this to a degree, but the changes feel rather unnecessary, and trying, frustratingly, to make Wukong a better character than he is. I imagine Chau knows the story far better than I do, and kudos to them for their adaptation. I'm sure that for the version they remember from childhood, loved into adulthood, and are writing fanfiction of, this is great for them, and I like having a fully illustrated version of the opening of this story (despite the changes). And I wish others who like this version a good time. All in all, it's not a bad adaptation, and it is a decent introduction for early readers into the opening of the greater novel.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Havoc in Heaven is one of the most iconic sections of Journey to the West, but it’s also a beast to adapt. I love the visuals of this graphic novel - Alina Chau’s colours are stunning, with a really pleasant colour intensity, and the designs for the Taoist pantheon are top-notch. It really makes the Heavenly Realms come to life. The fight scenes too are especially poignant.
I found the beginning of the book really choppy, and given the limits of the medium, does mean that some really iconic moments, such as defeating the demons attacking Flower Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong studying under his shifu are missed entirely (relegated to one line of referenced text). The Sea King’s Palace is given as a short flashback, which I think worked really well and prevented the book from being too meandering.
There are some additions not in the original text, such as a grandmother monkey character that adds some humanisation. There’s some modern language/wordings added — I feel like I’d either like the writer to go all-in or forego it, but it wasn’t too distracting. I liked some moments of goofiness, such as Sun Wukong writing a play about Nezha and the sea dragon.
Ultimately, I’ll say that this is a good introduction for Journey to the West. I grew up with the story, specifically the 90s cartoon adaptation, which is definitely for kids/sanitises the more adult moments of the og epic and is goofy in its own way, and I think this book could definitely serve the same purpose. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 because I love JTTW and would have wanted more adaptations of it growing up.
Thank you to First Second Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
I found the beginning of the book really choppy, and given the limits of the medium, does mean that some really iconic moments, such as defeating the demons attacking Flower Fruit Mountain, Sun Wukong studying under his shifu are missed entirely (relegated to one line of referenced text). The Sea King’s Palace is given as a short flashback, which I think worked really well and prevented the book from being too meandering.
There are some additions not in the original text, such as a grandmother monkey character that adds some humanisation. There’s some modern language/wordings added — I feel like I’d either like the writer to go all-in or forego it, but it wasn’t too distracting. I liked some moments of goofiness, such as Sun Wukong writing a play about Nezha and the sea dragon.
Ultimately, I’ll say that this is a good introduction for Journey to the West. I grew up with the story, specifically the 90s cartoon adaptation, which is definitely for kids/sanitises the more adult moments of the og epic and is goofy in its own way, and I think this book could definitely serve the same purpose. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 because I love JTTW and would have wanted more adaptations of it growing up.
Thank you to First Second Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Huge thanks to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read this. Super excited to see this get out into the world!
I absolutely LOVED this! My partner got me interested in the original 1986 Journey to the West TV show after watching him play the Black Myth Wukong video game, and I'm fascinated by the Journey to the West classic. I really loved how the author and artist Alina Chau perfectly illustrated the story of Sun Wukong and just seeing him cause mischief in heaven was on point. The story was even more hilarious with the illustrations, and it was interesting to view the Monkey King was a person more than a villain this time. I think that will really capture the audience's attention when this book is published. The only thing I will say I was disappointed not to see from this story was details pertaining to Wukong acquiring his 72 earthly fiend transformations. I would have loved to have seen what the author would have done with that chapter, but I can understand why it would be a little too complicated for younger audiences to understand. No big worries there.
The art style was gorgeous and really captured my attention throughout the story to the point that I could not stop looking at the rich details of her art. I think this art style and interpretation of the original classic would be a perfect introduction for kids and young adults to learn about Sun Wukong and Journey to the West. I cannot wait until this book comes out because I will be purchasing one or two to share with my future kids someday. I am not exaggerating at all when I repeat how much I loved this graphic novel about the Monkey King!! Please, Alina Chau, give us more of this!!
I absolutely LOVED this! My partner got me interested in the original 1986 Journey to the West TV show after watching him play the Black Myth Wukong video game, and I'm fascinated by the Journey to the West classic. I really loved how the author and artist Alina Chau perfectly illustrated the story of Sun Wukong and just seeing him cause mischief in heaven was on point. The story was even more hilarious with the illustrations, and it was interesting to view the Monkey King was a person more than a villain this time. I think that will really capture the audience's attention when this book is published. The only thing I will say I was disappointed not to see from this story was details pertaining to Wukong acquiring his 72 earthly fiend transformations. I would have loved to have seen what the author would have done with that chapter, but I can understand why it would be a little too complicated for younger audiences to understand. No big worries there.
The art style was gorgeous and really captured my attention throughout the story to the point that I could not stop looking at the rich details of her art. I think this art style and interpretation of the original classic would be a perfect introduction for kids and young adults to learn about Sun Wukong and Journey to the West. I cannot wait until this book comes out because I will be purchasing one or two to share with my future kids someday. I am not exaggerating at all when I repeat how much I loved this graphic novel about the Monkey King!! Please, Alina Chau, give us more of this!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to First Second Books, First Second, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars, rounded up
Journey to the West is one of the four great Chinese novels, inspiring many modern pop culture classics (Dragon Ball, anyone?). The story follows Sun WuKong, a mischievous monkey who was born from a stone. Filled with havoc and fun, you never know what Sun WuKong will get up to next!
I'm a Chinese adoptee exploring my birth culture lately. I've read Mandarin graded readers about Journey to the West and watched a cartoon adaption in Mandarin for children, too. This graphic novel is the perfect introduction to Sun WuKong's journey for young readers. The colorful artwork captures the beauty of Hua Guo Mountains, the Celestial Kingdom, and all the beautiful creatures and people that roam them both.
There are a few spots where I found the amount of text in the speech bubbles to be too much. When compared to how the texts read for most of the graphic novel, these longer speeches bog down the story a little bit. It doesn't take away from the fun of the story or the beautiful art, though!
Monkey King by Alina Chau is a great introduction to Sun WuKong for young readers or anyone who is interested in Chinese culture. I also appreciate the mini dictionary, the origin story of the Pantheon of Gods, and the small bonus comic at the end of the book! For those not as familiar with Mandarin, I highly recommend that you read the mini dictionary before beginning the story for some context. I also love that the Mandarin words have pinyin added.
I will keep an eye on Alina Chau's work in the future! I would be stoked to see her adapt the rest of Journey to the West.
4.5 stars, rounded up
Journey to the West is one of the four great Chinese novels, inspiring many modern pop culture classics (Dragon Ball, anyone?). The story follows Sun WuKong, a mischievous monkey who was born from a stone. Filled with havoc and fun, you never know what Sun WuKong will get up to next!
I'm a Chinese adoptee exploring my birth culture lately. I've read Mandarin graded readers about Journey to the West and watched a cartoon adaption in Mandarin for children, too. This graphic novel is the perfect introduction to Sun WuKong's journey for young readers. The colorful artwork captures the beauty of Hua Guo Mountains, the Celestial Kingdom, and all the beautiful creatures and people that roam them both.
There are a few spots where I found the amount of text in the speech bubbles to be too much. When compared to how the texts read for most of the graphic novel, these longer speeches bog down the story a little bit. It doesn't take away from the fun of the story or the beautiful art, though!
Monkey King by Alina Chau is a great introduction to Sun WuKong for young readers or anyone who is interested in Chinese culture. I also appreciate the mini dictionary, the origin story of the Pantheon of Gods, and the small bonus comic at the end of the book! For those not as familiar with Mandarin, I highly recommend that you read the mini dictionary before beginning the story for some context. I also love that the Mandarin words have pinyin added.
I will keep an eye on Alina Chau's work in the future! I would be stoked to see her adapt the rest of Journey to the West.
![Profile Image for Kuu [semi-ia for china reasons].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1725785181i/108391134._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I definitely want to buy this book as a physical one. The artwork was STUNNING! The story was so fun, too, and while I haven't read Journey To The West, I am kind of familiar with it (I think there's no way to NOT be familiar with it if you study Chinese/East Asian Studies, of which I study both). This was very much the beginning of it, the story of Sun Wukong BEFORE he goes on the big journey with the monk, but I feel like I got a good feel for (Chau's version of) his character, and I'd love to read the next parts as well. I think this is a very accessible way to introduce this classic, as it can feel a little intimidating to just read a Chinese epic otherwise, and especially for children/teens I think this would be great. But then again, I'm in my mid-20s and I absolutely ate this up, so I wouldn't put an age limit on it.
I feel like Chau did a great job at bringing Sun Wukong to life as a mischievous, but not malevolent spirit, who does really care about his tribe and just doesn't see why he should accept authority when said authority (in his view) has done nothing to earn it. I also found the various other characters really enjoyable to read about (special shoutout to Nezha as I did watch both movies and really enjoyed them, which really helped me understand what the deal with him is in this graphic novel). And again, the art was amazing, and especially the landscapes were STUNNING.
I definitely want to buy this book as a physical one. The artwork was STUNNING! The story was so fun, too, and while I haven't read Journey To The West, I am kind of familiar with it (I think there's no way to NOT be familiar with it if you study Chinese/East Asian Studies, of which I study both). This was very much the beginning of it, the story of Sun Wukong BEFORE he goes on the big journey with the monk, but I feel like I got a good feel for (Chau's version of) his character, and I'd love to read the next parts as well. I think this is a very accessible way to introduce this classic, as it can feel a little intimidating to just read a Chinese epic otherwise, and especially for children/teens I think this would be great. But then again, I'm in my mid-20s and I absolutely ate this up, so I wouldn't put an age limit on it.
I feel like Chau did a great job at bringing Sun Wukong to life as a mischievous, but not malevolent spirit, who does really care about his tribe and just doesn't see why he should accept authority when said authority (in his view) has done nothing to earn it. I also found the various other characters really enjoyable to read about (special shoutout to Nezha as I did watch both movies and really enjoyed them, which really helped me understand what the deal with him is in this graphic novel). And again, the art was amazing, and especially the landscapes were STUNNING.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I like the Journey to the West and wanted to like this, but while I think it is a fantastic idea and vehicle to introduce Chinese history, culture, and mythology to kids, I did not really vibe with this adaptation. I did not feel very connected to the characters or the story which felt like it was simultaneously moving too slow and too fast. The narrative jumps around so much that you never seem to be able to take anything in while also being boring. I can't say whether I was just not in the mood to take this in, but I'm disappointed that I did not like this book more. On a good note the artwork is beautiful and I love the inclusions of Mandarin within the text, as well as the glossary in the back. I may not recommend it as wholeheartedly as I wanted to be able to but it will be a good book to introduce Chinese literature and culture to children who may otherwise not know much about it and a fun new way to relate the story to children who are already familiar with the text. I know a lot of children who will like this book because of the talking animals, the magic, the beautiful artwork, dynamic fights, and Sun Wukong's personality. While it may not be for me I think they will enjoy it very much.
Received an ARC from netgalley.
Received an ARC from netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The first time I heard about Monkey King was when I was reading American Born Chinese. I didn’t realize that Monkey King is a very well known story among Asian countries, and it would be the equivalent to writing about Little Red Riding Hood. (Though Little Red Riding Hood was not as tricky as the Monkey King).
I have since read several Monkey King stories, but this one is the first when I understood what was going on, completely, and sympathized with the monkey. The celestial immortals didn’t like him from the start because, well, he was a monkey. And he doesn’t like them because they are all stuck up. All he really wants is respect and to be left alone, but the immortals don’t like him for that.
The pictures are delightful. The tricks that were played on the monkey backfire, and at the end of the first book in the series, we get set up for his next journey.
If you have ever tried to get into the stories of the Monkey King, I would highly recommend choosing this story to do so. The humor is fun. The pictures are great, and the Monkey King is a delight.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 8th of September 2026.
I have since read several Monkey King stories, but this one is the first when I understood what was going on, completely, and sympathized with the monkey. The celestial immortals didn’t like him from the start because, well, he was a monkey. And he doesn’t like them because they are all stuck up. All he really wants is respect and to be left alone, but the immortals don’t like him for that.
The pictures are delightful. The tricks that were played on the monkey backfire, and at the end of the first book in the series, we get set up for his next journey.
If you have ever tried to get into the stories of the Monkey King, I would highly recommend choosing this story to do so. The humor is fun. The pictures are great, and the Monkey King is a delight.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book will be published on the 8th of September 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was really excited about this book, and I liked many aspects of it, but it felt unfinished in a lot of ways.
This is a reworking of a very old story, but the language is jarringly contemporary. The level of informality from our main hero feels somewhat appropriate, but not from the other members of the Jade Emperor's court. I don't need the language to feel neoclassical, but the levels of formality should help me understand the relationships, and it doesn't, which is part of a larger problem with contextualization. If a reader is unfamiliar with the base mythology, this retelling is unlikely to change much of that, which left elements feeling disconnected. The most confusing part is how the Monkey King's mountain continues to function well, and love him, without his presence for decades on end.
The art is gorgeous in most of the book, though since a lot of background characters aren't introduced they begin to feel interchangeably generic.
I will read the next volume of this, but I won't be buying it yet.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC.
This is a reworking of a very old story, but the language is jarringly contemporary. The level of informality from our main hero feels somewhat appropriate, but not from the other members of the Jade Emperor's court. I don't need the language to feel neoclassical, but the levels of formality should help me understand the relationships, and it doesn't, which is part of a larger problem with contextualization. If a reader is unfamiliar with the base mythology, this retelling is unlikely to change much of that, which left elements feeling disconnected. The most confusing part is how the Monkey King's mountain continues to function well, and love him, without his presence for decades on end.
The art is gorgeous in most of the book, though since a lot of background characters aren't introduced they begin to feel interchangeably generic.
I will read the next volume of this, but I won't be buying it yet.
Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5
Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven is a sweeping, exhilarating middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Journey to the West.
I absolutely loved this one. From the first page, Alina Chau hooked me with her vivid, colorful, fashionable, and humorous characters. Chau thoughtfully explored Sūn Wùkōng’s relationships with his brother, Lǎolao, the monkeys he rules, and the other animals he protects. I also appreciated the emphasis on kindness and care towards others and the exploration of themes of revenge, violence, love, home, power, and what makes a good ruler. Chau’s illustrations were enchanting and vibrant, delivering cinematic action scenes and delightful depictions of revelry. Chau’s world-building was lush and immersive, brimming with Chinese mythology, literature, history, and culture. The plot was propulsive, and the pacing fit the story nicely. Chau’s dialogue was funny, joyful, and thoughtful. I highly recommend this one!
Thank you to Alina Chau and the publisher for the free ARC!
Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven is a sweeping, exhilarating middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Journey to the West.
I absolutely loved this one. From the first page, Alina Chau hooked me with her vivid, colorful, fashionable, and humorous characters. Chau thoughtfully explored Sūn Wùkōng’s relationships with his brother, Lǎolao, the monkeys he rules, and the other animals he protects. I also appreciated the emphasis on kindness and care towards others and the exploration of themes of revenge, violence, love, home, power, and what makes a good ruler. Chau’s illustrations were enchanting and vibrant, delivering cinematic action scenes and delightful depictions of revelry. Chau’s world-building was lush and immersive, brimming with Chinese mythology, literature, history, and culture. The plot was propulsive, and the pacing fit the story nicely. Chau’s dialogue was funny, joyful, and thoughtful. I highly recommend this one!
Thank you to Alina Chau and the publisher for the free ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sun Wukong, patron of "Consequences are for OTHER people." Until of course, consequences catch up to him.
As someone who's spent some time familiarizing myself with different JTTW adaptations over the past few years, I've found that telling the beginnings of Sun Wukong on its own can be practically challenging, as it's not meant to be a complete story so much as setting up the ground for later character development. And I think that's where this adaptation does stumble a bit, as the end can feel quite abrupt. That and the pacing in the beginning is a bit wonky as we're jumping around between scenes and characters.
Still, the art is very cute and expressive. The fights are energetic. Also, I get to see Wukong be a 'horse girl' and demand the horses he's in charge of be allowed to roam free.
As someone who's spent some time familiarizing myself with different JTTW adaptations over the past few years, I've found that telling the beginnings of Sun Wukong on its own can be practically challenging, as it's not meant to be a complete story so much as setting up the ground for later character development. And I think that's where this adaptation does stumble a bit, as the end can feel quite abrupt. That and the pacing in the beginning is a bit wonky as we're jumping around between scenes and characters.
Still, the art is very cute and expressive. The fights are energetic. Also, I get to see Wukong be a 'horse girl' and demand the horses he's in charge of be allowed to roam free.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A faithful rendering of the classic Chinese folktale, Journey to the West, told with charming illustrations and cheeky dialogue. The tale's protagonist, Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, is a complex, multi-layered character, with a propensity for impulsive action, hot-headedness, but a kind heart. This graphic novel an excellent introduction for middle grade readers to one of the mainstays of classic Chinese literature and culture, and is highly recommended for classroom curriculums and personal reading. One content note: there is some inappropriate language, so teachers and parents might want to review it first. This first book tells the origin story of Sun Wukong, ending on a cliffhanger, leaving readers yearning for the next adventure.
September 19, 2026
I had the opportunity to learn about Uproar in Heaven, and it immediately stood out as a vibrant and imaginative adaptation of Journey to the West that brings Sun Wukong’s origins to life through a fresh graphic-novel format. The combination of Chinese mythology, fantasy adventure, Wukong’s rebellious personality, and Alina Chau’s sumptuous, dreamy artwork gives the book a distinctive identity with strong potential for graphic-novel readers, mythology enthusiasts, families, educators, and younger readers discovering the Monkey King for the first time. With 4.05 stars from 20 ratings and 15 reviews on Goodreads, the book already has encouraging early reader engagement following its September 7, 2026 publication, providing a solid foundation for broader discovery.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely love Sun Wukong. I was so happy to have received an ARC for this title. Having devoured many depictions of the Monkey King. I believe readers of all ages will fall in love with this book. The story, while shortened, is a wonderful introduction that highlights the major events in Sun Wukong's early years. The story shows you what led him to him having a celestial sized outburst and eventually being imprisoned by Buddha.
Whether you're already a fan or this is your first introduction, you'll find this story fun and compelling. The added bonus is the stunning traditionally inspired artwork that is full of color and expression. It's a must read!
Whether you're already a fan or this is your first introduction, you'll find this story fun and compelling. The added bonus is the stunning traditionally inspired artwork that is full of color and expression. It's a must read!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First off, I love a lot of different adaptations of the Monkey King, but have never really ventured into Journey of the West yet. I think this is a great way to introduce the character to younger readers. I thought the art was fun and the chosen stories aligned with what I knew of the character based on the different adaptations I have consumed.
Though sometimes the story felt a bit disjointed, that is likely due to sticking close to the original story. Overall I enjoyed this story and would recommend it for introducing your young readers to this text and character.
Thanks to First Second and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
Though sometimes the story felt a bit disjointed, that is likely due to sticking close to the original story. Overall I enjoyed this story and would recommend it for introducing your young readers to this text and character.
Thanks to First Second and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
September 14, 2026
Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven is a graphic novel retelling of a Chinese classic tale. It is full of fun and silly characters that young readers are sure to enjoy. I love Chau's art style in this book, and the colors really pop. The monkey king is always ready to cause some chaos in the heavenly realm as much as they try and control him! I found the pace a bit erratic, but I'm sure most readers of the target age will find it enjoyable. Thanks to First Second and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
November 3, 2026
A middle grade retelling of one part of Journey to the West, entirely about the Monkey King. The art is great, but I felt like the story kept jumping around, sometimes in ways that made it a little hard to keep track of what was going on.
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February 9, 2026A fun introduction to the Monkey King, best suited for kids ages 5–9. The characters are expressive and engaging, though some panels, especially in the first section, feel a bit flat, with faces lacking detail and depth. The use of modern speech patterns is uneven at times, and the narrative arc and final wrap-up meander. But the landscapes are beautiful and ethereal, and the fight scenes are detailed and energetic, all elements that are sure to capture kids' attention.
Thanks to First Second and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
Thanks to First Second and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
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