Lin, Grace. Where the
Mountain Meets the Moon. New York: Little, Brown & Co., 2009.
ISBN: 978-0-316-11427-1
Plot Summary:
Minli lives with her parents in a tumbledown shack where they
are very poor and barely have enough food to eat. Minli’s mother constantly complains about
their “poor fortune,” but her father tries to lighten the mood each evening by
telling folktales of enchanted lands and magical characters. Hoping to help her family, Minli sets out on a
quest to find the Old Man on the Moon and ask him how to change her family’s
fortune. With help from a talking
goldfish, a flightless dragon and other characters and creatures along the way,
Minli learns the value of faith and friendship.
Lin gives readers a good dose of fantasy, interspersed with tales based
on traditional Chinese folklore throughout the book. Her bold illustrations punctuate the
beginning of each chapter and set the tone for the enchanting narrative that
follows.
Critical Analysis:
Grace Lin uses a combination of enchanting, fantastical
storytelling with traditional Chinese folklore to carry readers on an adventure
reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz. The plot follows Minli on her quest to change
her family’s fortune. Ms. Lin develops
Minli into a strong female protagonist who is intelligent and loyal. The authenticity of the setting is enhanced
by the beautiful drawings of Lin’s prior to each chapter. The mystical creatures such as the talking
goldfish and the flightless dragon, along with the greedy monkeys and the
“Buffalo Boy” add to the enchanted feel of the story. Grace Lin’s elegant writing flows simply and
proves she is an award-winning storyteller.
Review Excerpts:
“The
author's writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning.
Minli's determination to help her family, as well as the grief her parents feel
at her absence, is compelling and thoroughly human.” ~School Library Journal (Starred review)
“With
beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical
land. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout
her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and
smoothly furthering the plot.” ~Booklist
(Starred review)
Awards:
Newbery Honor Book 2009
Connections:
**Other novels by Grace Lin:
The Year of the Dog
(A Pacy Lin Novel)
The Year of the Rat
(A Pacy Lin Novel)
Dumpling Days (A
Pacy Lin Novel)
Starry River of the
Sky