Book Review of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lin, Grace. 2009. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON. New York, NY: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers is a division of Hatchette Book Group, Inc. ISBN 9780316114271.   

 

PLOT SUMMARY

Minli is a girl who lives with her family in a village. It was a hard, difficult life for Minli, her family, and the villagers. They have to work very hard; and, yet they are only able to harvest the bare minimum to survive. Minli’s father tells her stories every night. He tells her about a Never-Ending Mountain and an Old Man of the Moon. One day, Minli leaves to go in search of this man in hopes he can help her bring fortune to the village and her family. She has many adventures on her way. Along the way, Minli befriends a dragon. Finally, she reaches the Old Man of the Moon. Afterward, the dragon takes Minli home. When Minli is home, fortune returns to her family and the village.          

 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is a story of stories. The plot is a vehicle for telling folktales, which come from traditional Chinese myths and legends. These folktales are the Chinese equivalents of fables. They teach values and morals. The fantasy described in the story follows standard elements. The reader can relate to the dragon because of his human traits and characteristics. Minli and the dragon go on a quest that involves overcoming hardships. The values and morals taught through the story are common to all cultures and peoples. From beginning to end, the characters in the tale learn from their experiences and experience change and growth, as they learn from their mistakes and gain happiness.     

 

AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPTS

2010 NEWBERY HONOR BOOK: “A rich tapestry of stories, both original and traditional, transports readers to a fantastic world...”

2010 ALSC NOTABLE CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD: “A young Chinese girl, long a believer in her father’s fantastic stories, goes on a quest to find the legendary Old Man of the Moon in the hope of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain.”

2010 MYTHOPOEIC FANTASY AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S LITERATURE  

BOOKLIST review: “With beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical land… Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL review: “The author's writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning.”

KIRKUS starred review: “Lin deftly incorporates elements from Chinese folk- and fairy tales to create stories within the main story and provide context for Minli’s quest...”

 

CONNECTIONS

* This book is a good introduction to Chinese culture, folk tales, and mythology.  

* Books like this one:

Lin, Grace. STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY. ISBN 9780316125956.

Lin, Grace. WHEN THE SEA TURNED TO SILVER. ISBN 9780316125949.

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