WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON (genre 6 book1)

From the award winning and bestselling author Grace Lin comes the fantastical journey, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Filled with adventure, humor, danger, and excitement, Minli embarks on a quest to find the answers to her questions from the Old Man on the Moon. Along the way she encounters a unique cast of characters such as a lost dragon and a goldfish salesman. Lin drew inspiration from Chinese folktales and weaves a plot frequently noted as reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz.  Her vivid descriptions color the setting for a reader as much as the color illustrations do. For example: "The fish in the Jade River were brown and gray like the village... The sun setting behind (the goldfish man) made him glow bright red and yellow."

The results of Minli's trek reveal a universal truth, changing her view of her family's fortune and her father's stories. This novel is an easy read for 9 to 12 year-olds but will also hold the interest of fantasy lovers of all ages. Lin provides her inspiration for the story in the author's note along with book titles for those interested in Chinese Folktales. This has clearly influenced the style of the novel resulting in a distinctively written fantasy.


Review Excerpts:
"With beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical land." - Booklist

"The Author's writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning." - School Library Journal


Connections:
*Ask readers if stories are important. How did the stories told to Minli change her and affect her actions?

*Have readers research Chinese folktales or folktales from a variety of cultures within the library.


Lin, Grace. 2009. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. New York: Little Brown. ISBN 9780316114271