New children’s book “Abul’s Monkey King” immediately becomes a summer bestseller

At the beginning of the summer holidays, a new wave of enthusiasm for reading is sweeping students and parents alike. The focus is on the new children’s book “Abul’s Monkey King”.

Written by young author Chen Weijun and published by Hunan Juvenile and Children’s Publishing House, the book became a bestseller within just ten days of its release, prompting a frenzied reprint to meet high demand.

“Abul’s Monkey King” tells the story of a 12-year-old African boy named Abul who grows up amid the hardships of war, poverty and disease.

His journey begins when he sets out to find Luo Fei, a Chinese doctor who helped fight a virus in Africa years ago. In a daring adventure, Abul sneaks into a Chinese peace camp where he meets Li Yao, a Chinese peacekeeper.

The novel beautifully tells the story of Abul and his encounters with Li and underlines the bond between the African children and the Chinese peacekeepers.

Chen revealed that the inspiration for this novel came from a poignant moment seven years ago when he was moved by a speech given by the wife of a police officer in charge of peacekeeping, who also happened to be Chen’s classmate in high school.

“She was always gentle and intellectual, but her language revealed another side of her: brave and strong, filled with great love,” Chen said.

“Like many peacekeepers’ wives, they are holding things together at home while their husbands are working for peace abroad,” he said. “Her husband served in Liberia and was awarded the United Nations Peace Medal. That profound moment inspired me to capture the resilience of peacekeepers and the tenderness of their families in children’s literature.”

A particularly notable element of the book is Abul’s connection with the Monkey King. Through the legend of the Monkey King, a symbol of traditional Chinese culture, the Peacekeepers impart valuable lessons about kindness, love, responsibility, freedom and rules, laying a strong spiritual foundation and high ideals for African children.