The Monkey King: book club questions by chapter

🦉 The Monkey King · meeting 1 of 3

Read: Part One, “The Stone Monkey”; Part Two, “The Magic Staff” (pages 1–6, about 6 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 6, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. How did the stone monkey become king of the monkeys?
   The story's answer: He jumped through the waterfall
2. Why did the Monkey King leave home to find a teacher?
   The story's answer: He was afraid of growing old
3. Who have we met so far, and what does each of them want?
   Listen for: Make a list together on the board; keep it for next time and add to it.
4. The part we just read is called "The Magic Staff". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
5. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 The Monkey King · meeting 2 of 3

Read: Part Three, “Trouble in Heaven” (pages 7–9, about 3 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 9, and don't read on: the next part is for next time.

1. Why was Wukong so angry about being Keeper of the Heavenly Horses?
   The story's answer: He found out it was the lowest job in heaven
2. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
3. The part we just read is called "Trouble in Heaven". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
4. Stop here. What do you think will happen next? Write or draw one guess to check next time.
   Listen for: Keep the guesses in an envelope. Don't say whether a guess is right: the next part will.

🦉 The Monkey King · meeting 3 of 3

Read: Part Four, “The Palm of the Hand”; Part Five, “Five Hundred Years” (pages 10–14, about 5 minutes aloud).
Stop at the end of page 14, the end of the story.

1. What were the five pink pillars at the edge of the world?
   The story's answer: The Buddha's fingers
2. What did the Monkey King learn under the mountain?
   The story's answer: That being powerful is not the same as being wise
3. Look back at last time's guesses. Which came true, and what surprised you?
   Listen for: Read the guesses out. Nobody was wrong: a guess that missed often shows what the author wanted us to expect.
4. The part we just read is called "Five Hundred Years". Why do you think it has that name?
   Listen for: Any answer that points to a moment in the part is a good one; ask for the page.
5. Now that you know the ending, was it the ending you expected?
   Listen for: Ask what in the earlier parts pointed to it, or pointed the other way.

About the whole story

1. What does this story tell you about the place it comes from?
   Listen for: Food, weather, animals, how people live: anything the story shows.
2. Does it remind you of another story you know?
   Listen for: Many folk tales have cousins in other countries.
3. Who was the cleverest person in the story, and how did they show it?
   Listen for: Ask for the moment.
4. Who would you give this story to, and why them?
   Listen for: A reader who can name the right person has understood what the story is like.
5. If you could ask the person who first told this story one question, what would it be?
   Listen for: Collect the questions; some have answers on the story's page in the library.