WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin

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