The Chinese Explosion of Panku

The Chinese explosion of what? and what is this exactly?

Before I start putting my words in a specific order, let me go back a few years to a school's Write a Book project, which sparked a young boy’s curiosity and imagination. This project led to his first attempts at writing his own book, and he has since entered the school’s competition twice.

This initial experiment with writing, without strict guidelines on context, length, or purpose, began shaping a young boy’s worldview, inviting him into an unfamiliar space where physical writing intersected with the digital.

The love of storytelling gradually met the need to embrace digital knowledge and tools, bridging creativity with technology and forming the foundation of his evolving journey as a writer.

This year though, our summer vacations with the grandparents sparked Filippos' imagination, allowing it to soar to undefined territories and shape a novel filled with monsters and heroes, allies and villains, magic and reality—all centered around his grandad, Manki.

This came as a small surprise at first, but knowing Filippos, he truly meant business. A future Write a Book project—not even mandated by school—quickly became our family’s daily conversation as soon as we returned from Greece. What started as a one-page idea soon turned into a chapter, then quite a few of them, and within a month, we had a concrete story complete with plot, characters, and a fantastic finish.

At a certain point, it became clear to everyone what our role in this project truly was. What began as simple encouragement and support soon turned into a realization that our responsibilities had expanded far past reading and providing feedback. This time, the project needed to take precedence, and the editing process came with strict deadlines. A couple of times, I even felt that I wasn’t living up to my own standards and commitments. But realizing how important this piece of work was to my son, I quickly gave it the priority it deserved—even if with a slight delay.

The last frontier was the transition from the initial concept of the book to a 'complete' e-book, a learning experience for all of us (and a small dream that came true). Together, we dove into mockup designs, explored e-commerce platforms, and navigated the steps to publish our family’s first e-book. Each step brought its own set of challenges and frustrations, offering invaluable lessons in creativity, technology, collaboration and smiles.

I hope you can hug this effort, providing also your honest feedback and ratings for this project.

You can always find the eBook HERE in a symbolic price, defined by Filippos.

The Chinese explosion of Panku

With the magic of heaven and hell, and a monster capable of destroying entire cities with a single stomp, two heroes—MANKI and the manager—must take on the task (with a few explosions, of course) to destroy this creature and prevent the end of the world, in a way that…Well, you’ll find out…

Gumroad

At this point I would like to share few things for the financial part.

I grew up in a generation where discussing money was often discouraged, if not outright demonized. Financial literacy was rarely part of our upbringing, even though money is a tool we use constantly in life. Having a basic understanding of how to use it wisely could benefit everyone. When Filippos started his project, our initial advice was for him to pledge his profits to a chosen cause—a way to instill a sense of giving. In retrospect, I’m not certain I fully endorse this approach, independent of whatever Filippos ultimately decides.

You see, I know that his real motives were never about sales; rather, they were about sharing his creativity with the world and the sense of pride and recognition of his efforts, fueling further his passion. That said, if a young boy has the ambition to create a product with a form of value, why not use this practical experience to advance his understanding of money? Financial knowledge gained in this way could help him go beyond the blind consumer mindset so many of us grew up with. Instead, he could learn to leverage his earnings wisely—funding, and investing in his future projects, better understand the quality of his efforts and doing good along the way. Ultimately, this approach feels more balanced and valuable strategy for a young creator.

The Chinese Explosion of Panku is a story born entirely from a young boy’s imagination, with his granddad as the ultimate hero.

All the credits to Filippos for his creativity and also to his granddad for claiming and securing this unique spot in our boy's heart and soul.

I hope you enjoy it!