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Monkey and the Water Dragon

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BfK No. 108 - January 1998

Cover Story
This issue’s cover shows titles from Anthony Masters’ new ‘Weird World’ series aimed to grab reluctant readers. Anthony Masters is interviewed by George Hunt. Thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for their help in producing this January cover.

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Monkey and the Water Dragon

 Joanna Troughton
 Joanna Troughton
(Puffin Books)
32pp, 978-0140384178, RRP £5.99, Paperback
5-8 Infant/Junior
'Folk Tales of the World'
Buy "Monkey and the Water Dragon: A Folk Tale from China (Puffin Folk Tales of the World)" on Amazon

Without the intervention of an adult to explain the context of the story in this picture book, solo readers may find it difficult to engage with the main characters, Tripitaka a boy scholar, and his animal companion servants, or understand why their journey is important. This is in fact an episode from a much longer Chinese epic (explained in an introduction given on the page containing the publishing details) which relates how the trio undertake to fetch the Buddhist scriptures from India and bring them to China. Troughton’s illustrations, particularly those of the magical goldfish and the fantastic and fearsome Chinese water dragon with which Monkey and Pigsy do battle, are both dramatic and eloquent.

Reviewer: 
Jill Bennett
3
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