Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

By Grace Lin

ISBN:

9780316114271

Bibliography:

Lin, Grace. 2009. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. New York: Little, Brown and Co.

Plot:

This magical story takes place in the poor village of Fruitless Mountain. Minli, a young girl inspired by her father's magical stories, embarks on a journey seeking to change her family's fortune in order to help them find happiness. While on this adventurous journey, Minli discovers that the key to true happiness is being content with what one already has.

Analysis:

Lin utilizes the story within a story format to weave many Chinese tales throughout the text, adding depth to the story and its characters. The theme of this story is contentment, which is repeatedly reflected throughout the text as in the following quote: "As Minli looked at the buffalo boy, aglow with happiness against his poor surroundings, she saw it was enough for him. More than enough, as the smile that kept curling up on his face told her."

Minli's journey teaches her to be content and thankful for what she has, and by being content, she gains more wealth. Minli's mother also grows and changes throughout the story. In the beginning she was very negative and never happy with anything. After she thought that she had lost Minli, she realized that she should have been thankful for all what she'd had all along. The following quote from the mother's story is especially touching: "How lucky she had been! She was at last able to see that her daughter's laughter and love could not be improved by having the finest clothing or jewels, that joy had been in her home like a gift waiting to be opened."

Cultural markers evident in this story include character names, the illustrations, and many Chinese symbols such as the dragon, the red thread, the rabbit, and the tiger. The gorgeous illustrations in this book are reflective of traditional Chinese culture. Images of flying dragons, clothing worn in ancient China, and other Chinese symbols beautifully adorn the pages of this book. Also, many of the short stories that are woven into Where the Mountain Meets the Moon were inspired by Chinese folk tales, which adds another layer of cultural authenticity to this work.

Review Excerpts:

Booklist: “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. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. Lin’s own full-color drawings open each chapter.”

Horn Book: “Minli seeks the Old Man of the Moon, hoping to change her family's fortunes. Interspersed with the main story are folktales explaining past events or anecdotes allowing characters to relate their experiences. Lovely full-page illustrations in blues, reds, greens, and luminous golds as well as delicate chapter-openers, all influenced by traditional Chinese art, contribute to the folklore-inspired fantasy's sense of timelessness.”

Connections:

*Other works by Grace Lin:

The Year of the Dog ISBN: 9780316060028

Dim Sum for Everyone ISBN: 9780440417705

The Red Thread ISBN: 9780807569221

The Year of the Rat ISBN: 9780316114264

*Check out Grace Lin's Website:

http://www.gracelin.com/