Where the Mountain meets the Moon

Author:

Grace Lin

Illustrator:

N/A

Published by:

Little, Brown Young Readers US

First Published:

1 Jul 2009

Ideal for readers aged

6-9y

My Review

In this magical, surreal story, rooted in Chinese mythology, Minli leaves home with her few belongings and tries to find the answer to why the river has dried up in her village. What follows is a cleverly woven adventure involving a dragon, great courage and perseverance, and a fairytale ending. Grace Lin is a master at incorporating fable in her fiction, introducing the reader to Chinese folklore and culture as they read. The illustrations are gorgeous, and the story’s short chapters and slow unravelling make it a lovely read aloud.

Heads Up!

If your kids like this, Grace Lin has written two more in this series – with a similar feel, but with different characters: ‘Starry river of the sky’ and ‘When the sea turned to silver’. More recently she has also published a book of the Mulan story, ‘Mulan; Before the Sword’.

Publisher Review

In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man on the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer. Grace Lin, author of the beloved Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat returns with a wondrous story of adventure, faith, and friendship. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz and Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Her beautiful illustrations, printed in full-color, accompany the text throughout. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young readers.