'Monkey King' s Daughter' author to visit Natick library Sunday

T.A. DeBonis, whose new children’s book draws on the Monkey King of Chinese lore to shape a modern tale, will be at the 2010 Author Series at Morse Institute Library, Natick, on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 2 p.m. to discuss his series, "The Monkey King's Daughter." Natick authors Laurie and Monty Haas will accompany him and lend their voices to selections from both Book 1 and Book 2 (the screenplay too.)

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Below is a story about the author that ran in the Natick Tab & Bulletin in December, 2009:

When he set out to write his first children's book Todd DeBonis decided to take his love of one of Chinese mythology's most famous characters — the Monkey King — and give it a new twist.

"The Monkey King's Daughter," came out in the spring and the second book is ready to go for what he hopes will become a series for "middle readers," ages 8 to 12.

The tale of the Monkey King remains one of the most famous in China and around Asia, but is not so well known in the United States. DeBonis, who goes by T.A. DeBonis for his books, first found out about the legend as a child growing up in New Jersey when he watched an animated movie, "Alakazam the Great," which was made in Japan.

"(The Monkey King) is one of my favorite stories," DeBonis said. "It's fantastic."

The original tale has plenty of magic and characters, such as Pigsy the Pig, the Monkey King's sidekick.

He did not want to remake the Chinese myth, but had another idea. It was born when he worked with his daughter My-Linh to come up with a story for a class assignment she attended Brown Elementary School.

"I am not trying to retell The Monkey King, because you can't," DeBonis said.

DeBonis' daughter came to the United States from Vietnam, and at the time spoke only a little English. He wanted to find a story to which she could relate.

"I said, what if the Monkey King had a daughter growing up and going to school, like you," DeBonis said. "I tucked it in my head for a couple years, and later I said, now's the time and the ‘Monkey King's Daughter’ was born."

The book was illustrated by John Forcucci, and features a drawing based on a photo of his daughter.

DeBonis, a Natick resident, wrote screen plays for television, but spent most of his professional career as a television producer for ABC News and shows such as "Words that Cook: Parenting with Children's Books."

As he looked at the books his daughter was reading, he noticed that none of them featured a girl as the main character. He chose Meilin, who does not know she is the Monkey King's offspring, but at age 14 she is beginning to discover powers she got from her father.

Meilin, her mother and her uncle (Pigsy in disguise) were all sent forward in time to modern day California to escape the forces after the Monkey King. They were supposed to be safe, DeBonis said, but were discovered.

Along with the magical powers and demons that Meilin faces, DeBonis tried to incorporate the kinds of problems his daughter faced growing up, and even used real life conversations.

"I looked at the problems of girls that age: boys, bad hair, homework, how to fit in at school," DeBonis said. "A lot of the passages in the book came from conversations I had with out daughter."

While the lead character is girl, DeBonis has had good feedback from boys, too.

"Boys like it too, they don't mind that it's a female character," DeBonis said. "There is a ton of kung fu and action, and no fuzzy puppies and that kind of stuff."

DeBonis has heard good feedback from children, their parents and teachers. The book also received a five-star rating from the Midwest Book Review.

The Morse Institute Library has "The Monkey King's Daughter" in its children's collection, and it can be purchased at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

DeBonis published the book on his own, but seeks a publisher, and eventually hopes to have the tales turn into a television series or movie.

"It is perfect for a TV show. I could see it as a Disney movie or a Nickelodeon show," DeBonis said.

The second story will be out soon, and DeBonis hopes to eventually write 20 volumes in the series.

(Charlie Breitrose can be reached at 508-626-3964 or cbreitro@cnc.com.)