Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

Who knew a goldfish could set Minli on the adventure of a lifetime?

Minli’s family works hard but are very poor. Yet Minli still finds joy in her life. She is captivated by the stories her father, Ba, tells every night. While Minli delights in her father’s tales, her mother, Ma, does not. Ma sees little use in telling stories of magic and treasure when their life is so dull and dreary. I found it extremely sad to watch Ma’s bitterness taint the happiness Minli found in the stories. In an attempt to change her family’s fortune, Minli buys a goldfish, which only further upsets Ma. Even though it is done unintentionally, Ma’s sour attitude has deeply affected Minli. Determined to change her family’s life and make Ma happy, Minli sets off on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how to change her family’s fortune. Can one small girl find the Old Man of the Moon?

Minli is a great heroine and role model for children. She is smart, resourceful, kind, and brave. She cares deeply for her parents as well as the friends she makes on her journey. When she leaves home, she isn’t running away from her parents or her life. She’s searching for a way to make it better. I must add I am extremely glad to see parents portrayed in a positive and loving manner. I have read too many books for children and teens in which parents are absent, indifferent, or neglectful. It is clear Minli’s parents love her very much and are anxious for her return.

Minli’s story is broken up by many small stories which are relevant to her journey, and I love how Ms. Lin wove all these tales and together. As I read, I began to see links forming between them. It was interesting to see how they all connected not only to each other, but also to Minli’s story.

Minli began her quest with the desire to change her family’s fortune. However, when she finally meets the Old Man of the Moon, she faces an unexpected dilemma and a difficult choice. I won’t spoil the ending, but I will say Minli’s response to the situation is beautiful, and I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to such a lovely story.

I had so much fun reading Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. It is a wonderful tale of family and friendship. I highly recommend it to readers young and old alike.

originally posted at long and short reviews

Minli lived with her parents in a small village, in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain. The family - indeed, the whole village - was desperately poor. Minli's mother bemoaned their threadbare clothes and scanty food. But her father, even though gray and overworked, cheered up every evening when he told Minli one of the Chinese folktales that delighted her. Some of her favorite stories were about the Old Man of the Moon, who lived on the Never-Ending Mountain, and knew everything.

When a goldfish seller came to the village, Minli was enchanted by the cheerful, bright fish, so different from the gray and brown world that she lived in every day. On an impulse, she spent one of her two copper coins, and bought a goldfish to bring fortune to her home.

Minli's mother was not happy with the goldfish. They had barely enough to eat; how could they feed a pet? After her father gave up a few grains of his precious dinner rice to feed the fish, Minli realized what the sacrifice would be to feed it, so she sadly released her goldfish into the river.

To her surprise, the grateful goldfish told Minli how to find the Never-Ending Mountain of her father's folktales. There, she could ask the Old Man of the Moon how to bring good fortune to their house. So Minli set off on a journey to find the Never-Ending Mountains. Along the way, she met a dragon who couldn't fly, and other mythical characters who taught and helped her on her journey.

Interwoven with Minli's story are wonderful stories written in Chinese folktale style. These stories, told by Minli's father, become both the backdrop and the framework for the story of Minli's adventures on her journey.

Overall, a lovely, lyrical book, written for ages 8-12, but more widely enjoyable. A parent or teacher would find joy in reading this book aloud to younger children, who also would be fascinated with Minli's magical journey.

Quickly, get this book while you can. And while you are at it, buy one for a gift for every child you know. A true classic.

This book was so exciting and my sons were addicted to it as I read it.

Minli has listened to her father's stories for a long time. When she sees how upset her mother is about their poverty and storytelling, Minli decides she is going to go to talk to the Old Man of the Moon at Neverending Mountain. She lives on Fruitless Mountain and they work so hard there.

This does have a few Wizard of Oz moments, but is very different as well. Minli does meet many obstacles, creatures, and people along the way. The whole book is based off of many Chinese stories put together in one adventure. I felt like I was reading a great fairytale the whole time and it was so so so amazing!

There were nearly 50 chapters in this book, some are pretty short, and others are long. No matter what, my sons kept saying, "Read another chapter" and I would do my best to read several in a sitting. We were fascinated by the descriptions of everything and the tales that some of the characters within the book would tell. Overall, the outcome of the story is an amazing one!!! I definitely think it is a great book to read TO your children so you can discuss things throughout it and watch their fascination grow.

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin is the story of Minli, a young girl who lives with her Ma and Ba in the Village of Fruitless Mountain, who decides to find the Old Man of the Moon and change her fortune. This was a beautiful fantasy novel, filled with Chinese folklore and illustrations (by the author I believe) that every middle grade reader should have on their shelf.

This book is filled with stories and that really spoke to the past child-me who wanted to learn about every myth, legend and historical event of a book’s world. INKHEART by Cornelia Funke will forever be my favourite childhood book for this reason. To clarify, there would be the story of Minli, what I’d call the main text and then there were the stories the characters would tell each other. These stories were given a different format – italicized font, a title separating it from the main text – so it felt like a story within a story. These stories would either be inspired by Chinese folklore and the author’s imagination or were only slightly embellished (Lin 294). What I loved most about these stories, they were all connected in one way or another. For example, a main character of one story might be a minor character in another. After a story has been told, a character of it might be mentioned in passing, so you start picking up on that. How these stories were connected with each other and the main text really depended on the character telling it and where that character lived. Truly stunning!

I loved every character in this book – from Minli to her parents to the minor characters and even the villains/antagonists in the stories the characters told to each other. However, the characters aren’t as impressive as the characters of other middle grade books. This is not to say the characters are underdeveloped but this book is basically a book of fairytales, so the characters aren’t meant to be that complex. I’m worried a MG reader might get bored, when thinking about characters of other books. I would also say this book might be a hit or miss for people that don’t usually read middle grade. I loved this for the stories, but if you don’t enjoy them, I’m not sure if the characters can tide you over.

I was never bored with the plot and I think Lin is a born storyteller. The things the author would come up with and how Minli & other characters overcame those odds were incredible. I found myself being able to easily guess what would happen next, but that didn’t deter from the story for me. I think this was done on purpose and fit with the whole fairytale format. I wasn’t familiar with any of the folktales but being able to still guess what would happen in most cases helped me connect with those stories and characters. I also loved that Ma and Ba regularly had chapters told in their POV. Usually in fairytales, the parents are absent but this was a nice and realistic change.

I would 100% recommend this book. The originality of the stories and the people and creatures Minli meets on her journey was absolutely amazing! Talking fish, dragons, beautiful illustrations and greedy monkeys?! What more could you ask for? I can’t wait to read more of Lin’s works.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon By Grace Lin

This book is very good and it has a interesting story line. I believe this because there is always a new problem so you want to keep reading on. You always want to keep reading and never want to put the book down. The second reason is it have a intriguing problem with a great solution. Last but not least all of the story connects well.
Some of the problems that Minil meets along the way are a Tiger king in a story. A nice dragon tangled in big vines. Mad monkeys guarding all of the food. And a very, very tall mountain.
This book also has a very good problem and solution. The family is very poor family and they have o food and can't support themselves. So the guy who sells fish tells them about The mountain where you can talk to a man that has your fortune and can change your fortune This is cool because then the girl sneaks away in the night and travels to the mountain where the Man of the Mountain is. The third reason this book is good This book is very good at connecting all of the story when a guy sells fish Wonder why and then you realize the fish kids directions to get to the top of the mountain that is one of the reasons this book contains it also could be that if she didn't find the dragon then get past the monkeys.
I recommend this book because there's always a problem with a good solution all the next very well and you always waiting to see what happens. will see make it up the mountain and make a good fortune for her family? Can she get past all of her problem? read to find out.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much. I wanted a light read, so a kid's book seemed like a good idea. What I got was a whole lot more.

First, it was a lovely introduction to Chinese culture and folklore. The story itself is about a little girl from a poor family who goes off to try and change her family's fortune. Along the way she makes friends and has adventures. Yes, yes, that's pretty much every kid's story ever written. One difference is that the heroine isn't leaving to rebel against her parents or selfishly seek her own way. She loves her parents and wants to help them. I found that refreshing. And while there are lessons to be learned, it's not like a lot of children's stories, where the lessons overpower the characters and plot. I couldn't put this book down. I was totally invested both in the story and in these characters. The emotional journey of the mother was especially moving. I won't say more.

It's also beautifully written and illustrated. I didn't know the author also did the drawings until I searched for that information. They are gorgeous! If I could find a poster sized print of the cover, I'd be thrilled.

Most of all, this is a story about the power of stories. Again, I won't say more.

This is a beautiful book, in every way possible. I look forward to reading more by this author!

This book was a marvelous piece of storytelling! Inspired by and drawing from Chinese culture and myths the author grew up with, the book tells the story of young Minli who sets out to improve her family's fortune. The book regularly employs stories being told within the overarching story, and everything ties together neatly and comes full circle in the end. The characters are a bit flat and the plot follows a very simple format (Minli traveling, encountering someone or something, a story, rinse and repeat) but the focus of the book is fairy tales and their wisdom, so those are understandable flaws. This book was such a pleasant and very elegantly written story and definitely wonderful for bedtime stories

Absolutely wonderful. I read this book aloud to my kids, ages 9, 7 and 5 and we all enjoyed it. There are a few gorgeous pictures, the chapters are short and the story is fun and engaging. There are stories within the story that help bring Chinese folklore to life. After we finished the book, my 7 yo decided to pick this book as his free book from the Barnes and Noble summer reading so he could read it again whenever he wanted. This has been one of my personal favorite read aloud we have done as a family!

This is the complete review as it appears <a href="[...]">at my blog dedicated to reading, writing (no 'rithmatic!), movies, & TV</a>. Blog reviews often contain links which are not reproduced here, nor will updates or modifications to the blog review be replicated here. Graphic and children's reviews on the blog typically feature two or three images from the book's interior, which are not reproduced here.

Note that I don't really do stars. To me a book is either worth reading or it isn't. I can't rate it three-fifths worth reading! The only reason I've relented and started putting stars up there is to credit the good ones, which were being unfairly uncredited. So, all you'll ever see from me is a five-star or a one-star (since no stars isn't a rating, unfortunately).

I rated this book WORTHY!

Today is Grace Lin day on my blog! This is the companion novel to one I reviewed recently , and was published first. If you've read one, you'll recognize some of the references in the other. As I inadvertently proved, they don't have to be read in order. I really liked this one, perhaps better than the second volume. When I say "read" I mean "listened to" since I had the audio book version. It was charmingly read by Janet Song.

Min-li is a young girl who lives in poverty with her mom and dad, referred to only as Ma and Ba. Ba is in the habit of relating stories, which Ma hates. The only "wealth" the family appears to have is Minli's two copper coins kept in a rice bowl which has a rabbit design in the pottery.

Minli's world is colored and fruitless - literally. Her Village is known as the Fruitless Mountain village because nothing grows there, and few animals live there other than some desultory fish in the river. The whole area is a grey and brown mud and dust zone, which is all the color they have.

One day Minli decides to buy a goldfish from a traveling vendor, but even this is considered a waste by ma, because all it does is eat their precious rice. Minli eventually kow-tows to pressure frees it in the nearby river, whereupon the fish tells her a story which precipitates Minli leaving home and embarking upon a quest to find the Old Man in the Moon. Her plan is to ask him how she can change her fortune.

During her journey she meets - or at least learns of - the Buffalo Boy, the Green Tiger, the black tiger, dragons, a king, the twins, Da-Fu and A-Fu, and the very rabbit that was depicted on her rice bowl.

This story in engaging, and in parts hilarious, and I recommend it.

I love the language of this story: minimal, sparse, giving only the necessary details and focusing more on the stories that characters would tell in their oral tradition. The cast of characters was wide and diverse, the stories were plentiful and entertaining and the illustrations were absolutely beautiful. The adventures ends on a sweet, wholesome note.

My favorite parts of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon were the stories within the stories. They reminded me of old Chinese folklore and were perfect for creating engagement for the places where the action slowed a little. They lent the book an old, familiar feel. I’m looking forward to sharing this one with my boys and also checking out Lin’s other middle grade books, one of which released in October of last year.

One of the best books I've ever read (listened). I never heard of Grace Lin before, but I happened to be attracted to the cover of the CD while looking for an audio book for my son. We listened to the audio book; the performance is also brilliant. It took some time to get used to the affect of the reader's voice, but in the end I thought it was perfect.
Wow. wow, WOW! I was totally blown away by the beauty of the writing, the depth of the tale and the incredible tapestry of folk tales. Grace Lin is a master writer and I feel so grateful to have discovered this gem.
My son is six years old, and it was a little beyond his grasp -- but he really loved it anyway Who doesn't love adventure stories with children, magic and dragons?! I will bring this out again when he is eight, when I think he can better absorb the complexity of the story.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

I seem to be in the vast minority when it comes to this book -- everyone seems to love it, and the Newbury stamp on the cover just adds to its prestige. I, too, was expecting to love it, as I love mythology from all over the world and found the idea of an adventurous young girl embarking on a journey with a dragon to better her family fortune captivating. Sadly, while the book contains strong messages and weaves together several traditional stories of Chinese folklore, the writing itself is sadly bland, and the story lags terribly in the middle.

"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" follows a young girl named Minli, who lives with her family in an extremely poor village in the valley of Fruitless Mountain. Minli and her parents work hard all day just to have enough to eat, but Minli is happy, for she has her father's stories about dragons and the Man in the Moon to comfort her. But all the same, she sees that her family's poverty is making her parents miserable, and so she sets off on a journey to find the Man in the Moon and ask him to change the family's fortunes. With a flightless dragon for company, she travels toward the Endless Mountain on a journey that will have her befriending kings and orphans, talking to fish and rabbits, confronting fearsome tigers and monkeys, and ultimately making a decision that will change her life forever...

My favorite aspect of this book was seeing real Chinese mythology woven into Minli's story, mostly in the form of her father's tales or stories related by people she meets along the way. I don't claim to be an expert on Chinese myth, but I've read some of the stories and was able to recognize several. I'm curious as to which of the stories in this book are actual folktales and which are inventions of the author, and it makes me want to learn more about the folklore and mythology of China. Which, I suppose, means this book has done its job. And the book has a good message at its heart -- that kindness will go a much longer way toward changing one's fortune than power or greed or scheming.

Also, the book is peppered with beautiful color illustrations, all of which are done in traditional Chinese styles. These livened up the book considerably, and made for an enchanting reading experience.

Sadly, the story itself lags, especially toward the middle. Grace Lin's writing can be lovely at times but is oddly inconsistent -- sometimes it was enchanting and other times it was quite clunky and bland. The story itself seems to wander, and lingers at odd points for longer than necessary. And at times it felt that the various folktales woven into the story didn't mesh well, and could have been incorporated into the story better.

It doesn't help that the characters themselves are fairly flat. Minli, despite being the main character, doesn't have much personality beyond being the usual "adorable precocious child" so ubiquitous in literature. Dragon is relegated to a personality-free sidekick, and the villain of the story is simply evil for evil's sake. Only Minli's mother sees any character development, and even then it's simply transforming from a nagging harpy to an agreeable wife... which has its own unfortunate implications. I understand that folktales weren't always renowned for their exemplary character development, but a novel adaptation of said folktales should do better, in my mind...

This certainly wasn't a terrible book, and can serve as a nice introduction to the unique and colorful world of Chinese mythology for young readers. I simply found it lacking in certain areas, and think it could have been improved on. Still, it's a fine read for younger readers, and the illustrations are a beautiful touch.

"Stories are not foolish," Ba said again, in his quiet way.

"Says you!" Ma said. "Because you are the one who filled her with them. Making her believe she could change our miserable fortune with an impossible story! Ridiculous!"

"Yes," Ba said sadly, "it is impossible. But it is not ridiculous." (p. 45)

Reading impossible stories is one of my favorite things to do! It's why my favorite genre is still the middle readers group and will probably continue to be as long as I am a reader. Sometimes, the impossible is more plausible, less crazy, and more desirable than practical, cold hard reality. Sometimes, the impossible even, happens!

Grace Lin has written a beautiful book for children that is just such a tale with "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon." The chapters are short, and it contains many mini-stories and folk takes with an Asian flair that weave together the larger story of Minli, her family, and town. I rented this from the library, but will be buying my own copy and plan to read it to my daughter as soon as she can sit still long enough.

Minli's family has just enough- Just enough rice to feed them each day, and just enough clothes to keep them warm. There isn't any extra to go around, and her mother is tired of it. Minli's father loves to tell her stories each night to help distract from their difficult lives on fruitless mountain. After realizing that she cannot even spare a bit of rice for her goldfish without her parent's sacrificing even more, Minli sets out to find the old man of the moon to ask him how to change their fortune and that of the town of fruitless mountain. Along the way, she meets many different people, in all kinds of circumstances and learns many more stories that kids and parents will both enjoy reading. This book has a strong message of where happiness comes from, and true wealth and I highly recommend it. Grace Lin has another book: Starry River of the Sky releasing in October 2012 and I will definitely be getting it.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a pretty darn adorable MG novel. Minli lives in a village beside the Fruitless Mountain, and decides to find fortune for her family, for her Ma often complains about how poor they are. To discover that fortune, Minli is told by a goldfish to ask the Old Man of the Moon. So Minli sneaks away, and in her adventures frees a goldfish, rescues a dragon, meets a king, and meets two lucky twins. And on each adventure she's told more folktales as the journey she's on becomes one.

Based on a mix of Chinese folktales, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is really charming. The author also illustrates the novel, and I loved the images.

4.5/5

What caught my eye about Grace Lin’s novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is the beautiful artwork on its cover. It is said not to judge a book by its cover, however, being interested in Asian art and culture it was all but impossible to pass it by. After further research I would find that the author actually graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Although, The book itself is written with a very simplistic narrative readers will make connections with the various characters that appear and, seeing their relationships evolve has the story progresses is anything but impressive. Lin also uses inspiration from various Chinese fairytales and folklore to really make Where the Mountain Meets the Moon come to life. Anyone who has an interest in Chinese folklore or Culture would easily fall in love with the novel. I also believe anyone who has an appreciation for traditional Chinese style art would find the book a good read. On the other hand, some may be turned off by the simplistic writing style. Overall the book was a great read

This is a fascinating and deeply moving book. My son brought it home from school, asking me to read it. This was the very first time he's asked me to read a book and not the other way around. It's full of short magical stories that intertwine, weaving in beautifully presented life lessons. The ending had a big impact, and was the perfect reminder to be the change I want to see. This is type of reminder we all need to hear. I read it at just the right moment in my life for it to really make a mark on my psyche. I just felt a very deep connection to this piece of writing, this piece of art, and I believe when Grace wrote this she really put her heart into it.

I can not say enough nice things about Where The Mountain Meets the Moon. My daughter (8) loves all things dragon and this book sounded like it fit the bill. We thoroughly enjoyed reading this book together. Minli sets off on a journey to try and change her family's fortune. Along the way she meets Dragon and they travel far and wide trying to find Neverending Mountain where the Old Man lives. He alone holds the book of Fate. On their way to meet him, Minli and Dragon encounter a king, a buffalo boy, an evil Tiger and a village of generous, loving people.

As with any good book, the journey is what counts and this book is entertaining and thought-provoking all the way to the end.The author cites various Chinese myths and stories as the inspiration for this book and I think we will read some of those stories as well. The hardcover edition is beautifully hand-drawn by the author and there are several wonderful drawings inside as well as a different woodcut image at the beginning of every chapter.

WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON is a sparkling story of a young girl who wants to help her struggling parents by bringing good fortune to the family.

Minli sets off on an adventure determined to find the Old Man of the Moon. This man is said to bring good luck and fortune to people, and Minli and her family desperately need it. Her mother is always complaining about being poor, and her father keeps things joyful by telling imaginative stories.

While on her journey, Minli meets a handful of quirky, amazing characters, including a talking fish and a flightless dragon who help her in her quest to find the Old Man.

Minli is a heroine in a story that is part fantasy, part real life. The author weaves magical ideas and characters together that add another element to an already sweet story, making this one a novel that you don't want to miss.

Reviewed by: Angela S.

This book takes Grace Lin's readers top the next level from her earlier books. Just like I grew up with Ramona Quimby and Beverly Cleary, Lin is allowing readers to grow up with a comfortable reading style and fun interesting stories. I also recognized a bunch of these folktales and I'm not even Chinese. It's just nice to have an Asian-American voice out there.

Minli spends her days working hard in the rice paddies in the Valley of the Fruitless Mountain and her nights listening to her father's thrilling stories. Her life isn't easy, but it would be enough--if it wasn't for her mother's constant sighing over what the family doesn't have. Inspired by her father's stories, Minli sets out on a quest to bring life to the Valley of the Fruitless Mountain and to change her family's fortune. With the help of a flightless dragon and the mysterious Old Man of the Moon, she just might succeed. But what does it really mean to change your fortune?

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon tells the exciting story of a young girl's quest for a better life--and the surprising answer she finds at the end of her journey. Unlike many quest-narratives for young people, Lin captures the pain of a separated family and a girl's longing to return home. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was a Newbery Honor Book in 2010.

It's been a while since I read a fantasy book that really took me away to another place and time. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" just had so many good moments - starting with the story of Jade Dragon - and finally ending with the return of the Goldfish Man. The stories told by characters *in* the story were relevant and moved me sweetly. <grin> I will be purchasing this book for my "Forever Book Shelf" - the ones I will want with me to read again and again until my time here is up.

My children ages 6 to 15 all loved this story! Wonderfully written!
My 15 yo was to impatient to wait as I read allowed each night to the younger kids so she finished it herself.
It is such a magical story.

Update; After having just finished reading this again to my children and looking for more great literature from this author, now 4 years older, I find that I'd reviewed it years ago. The children requested I read this book aloud even though that 6 year old (now 11) has the ability to easily read independently. ALL of my children would gather around when I read this book each night, yes even the now 19 year old. This book is THAT special ! I'm on the store looking for more books from Grace Lin. We'll be purchasing Starry River of the Sky and perhaps many more.

I did not particularly enjoy reading this book because, as many 1 and 2 star reviews accurately note, as a novel it is INSANELY BORING. There is no character development -- except slightly for the Ma character, who finally becomes thankful for her blessings by the end of the novel, and, as result, blossoms into a content and fulfilled person. The conflicts are shallow and unrealistic, and the plot is trite and predictable.

I generally do not care much for fantasy, myth, fairy tales or folk tales -- unless they are not TOO 'larger-than-life' and have a particularly strong message. The reason, then, that I give this book 3 stars (instead of 2) is because the messages of the story are good ones, and I particularly like the message that "You only lose that which you cling to." This is a deep human truth which Jesus similarly taught as a cornerstone of HIS message to humanity: "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it." Matthew 16:24-25.

Review on the Book, Where the mountain meets the moon By Grace Lin

This Fictional folk tale is about a young girl’s dream to find a way to return the beauty to a mountain that was once green and was home to a single cherry blossom tree. The story starts off in a small village where most of it’s residents own rice fields near the village. Sadly there hadn’t been any rainfall in a long time and some villagers were so desperate that they even sold their rice fields and moved away. Luckily in this story there was a kind dragon that lived up in the clouds and happened to be the ruler of the rain.This dragon was known as the Jade Dragon, one day when Jade was flying over the earth she noticed this small village through a hole in the clouds, she went down to the earth quietly and earth the agony of villagers wanting it to rain. Jade Dragon was a empathetic soul that she made it rain the next day. As soon as daybreak, Jade made the skies pour, The villagers were never more joyful for rain. Sadly this joy didn’t last, As much as the villagers wanted it to rain, they were sick of it in the next couple weeks.When Jade heard this, she was devastated, she felt as if the villagers weren’t thankful for what she did for them, so she stopped the rain, forever. This made the land all dry and dead and caused the once beautiful mountain to lose it’s color and it’s cherry tree. This book’s adventure starts when the young girl runs away in search for a way to bring rain back to the village. This book’s theme is to let people know stories can be a part of your life even if you are young or old. I really enjoyed this book and would read it over and over again.

This was a read-aloud, and it took a long time for us to get into it. The format is intriguing: alternating present-day story with stories and fables told by characters in the story. I found the plot somewhat discontinuous, but the language was lovely and the setting and some of the characters were fascinating. The illustrations really add to the story.

I found, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, to be an amazingly written story that was able to blend the ancient Chinese folklore with a truly unique story of a girl named Minli as she travels to bring her family fortune. On the way she meets a dragon who fast becomes her friend along with characters ranging from peasant to king, and monkeys to green spirit lions. Everything that Minli faced helped her to meet the old man of the moon and grow as a person. It helped her understand that that fortune isn’t always gold and jewels but the quality of life and relationships that are formed. That it is more important to help others then just care about yourself and by doing so sometimes things might turn your way. The creativity that is shown within this story is just beautiful from the imagery to the personalities that form from within the story. Everyone has something that makes them truly their own. Lin does a wonderful job showing young readers what is really important in life while teaching them traditional folklore that will enhance their understanding of the Chinese culture. Not only is this book amazing for young children or adult readers who will appreciate some of the intricate relational interactions. This book can be read day or night, during anytime of the year, out loud or to one’s self and it will be a great experience no matter what. This Newbery Honor book is worth the attention that it has been given since its publication.

I read to my daughter every night and have for many years. She's eight now, and will soon be nine, so we've covered a lot of books, many many of them we have enjoyed. None of them compare to this book. Neither my daughter nor I could get enough of it. We loved the characters and the overall story arc, but found the little stories interjected throughout were the spice in this delicious recipe. Unlike most books didactic in nature, this one really hit home, really made us understand the message, not just cerebrally, but viscerally, as though we had lived it and the lessons there were our own. Both my daughter and I are thankful for the pure pleasure of this book, and for the lesson contained within.

This was a fabulous book! I loved the illustrations, the stories told of Chinese folklore and the life lessons learned throughout the book by Minli and her family. I am going to read it to my children and buy a few extra copies to give as gifts because I think the book was that well written.

in a sentence or so: Minli searches for the Old Man of the Moon, famous from her father's many stories, so that her family may have good fortune and no longer have to spend their days laboring in the fields. it's a dangerous journey full of stories, adventure, and a dragon who can't fly.

Minli lives a meager life with her parents. they have just enough rice to eat and just enough space to live, but that's not enough for Minli's mother. Minli is inspired by her father's many fantastical stories and decides to search out the famed Old Man of the Moon. the Old Man is the only one who can change her family's fortune and give her mother the happiness she deserves. setting out with a few select items (selected for her by a talking goldfish), Minli bravely embarks on an adventure that will change her life. will she find the change she's hoping for, or will a new path be laid before her?

i (obviously) love stories. i also love stories within stories, which is what we get with this book. Minli's father kicks off the storytelling by sharing The Story of the Fruitless Mountain to explain why it is that he and Minli's mother must toil all day long. Minli's mother is annoyed by the stories as a way to explain their existence, but what else is there? the art of storytelling comes back again and again in Minli's journey, always to enhance and deepen the running narrative.

on the surface, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a fantasy journey where a young girl meets interesting characters along her quest. deeper below the surface, however, are messages and food for thought about what makes us happy and how that happiness can be attained.

you can't help but adore Minli. she's sweet, brave, and consistently considerate. the other characters along the way add their own spice to the story and help to create an imaginative and thoughtful read.

fave quote: "'You know where the Never-Ending Mountain is?' the dragon asked. 'I thought to see the Old Man of the Moon was impossible. You must be very wise to know how to find him.'
'Not really,' Minli said. 'I got the directions from a goldfish.'" (48-49)

fix er up: i would have liked a little more follow up with the characters along the way.

Grace Lin is a true weaver of words. This intricate novel, "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon," is multi-layered and impossible to put down.

On a barren plot of land called Fruitless Mountain, there is a village where people work tirelessly in order to simply survive. A young girl named Minli works alongside her parents in the rice fields; finding sustenance only in the stories her father relates to her at nighttime. Minli's mother, however, scoffs at her daughter's love of the old stories. When Minli purchases a goldfish because of the peddler's promise that it will bring fortune into their home, her mother berates her unmercifully. However, Minli's purchase will launch her onto an unforgettable and perilous quest to restore Fruitless Mountain and find great fortune for her family. During her journey, Minli meets unforgettable characters, including a beautiful dragon, and learns the true value of home, thankfulness, and courage.

Grace Lin writes in the true fairy tale tradition. Minli's story is skillfully woven within a patchwork of Chinese legends. the author has reworked these legends to fit seamlessly into her engaging plot. Not a thread is out of place, and all the pieces fit smoothly together by the end of the story. The reader comes to realize how the past and present perfectly compliment each other. This novel is one that can never be forgotten. God bless you all.

(Please look for my fantasy novel, Crimilia, published by Tate Publishing, which is scheduled to be released on May 24, 2011. Thank you).

This book is wonderfully written. For someone with no background in China, the stories are very interesting and good introduction to the Chinese culture. I came from China, but my kids were born and raised in US. It is difficult to introduce them to the Chinese culture. For me and other parents of Chinese heritage, these stories are what we grew up with, and I am so happy to introduce them to my kids. My kids relate to these stories quite well, as they picked up bits and pieces of Chinese culture when they grow up, so they found many familiar subjects / words in this book. The book strings these stories together seamlessly and sometimes ingeniously. I am quite impressed with the author's skill in achieving that!

The book reads easily, broken up into many short chapters, and is a perfect read-aloud book before kids' bed time. Highly recommended!

Wonderful book to read to your children at bedtime. You can complete one chapter in 5 to 10 minutes so there is less of a chance of interfering with the pace of the story and losing the interest of your children. The story has a good pace to it and the characters and situations are fun and intriguing with a strong female protagonist. My children laughed out loud at a few places. Highly recommended.

I am a Mom of two boys, ages 7 & 10. I checked this out at the library for myself, though. I just finished it tonight, and I have to say -- I am delightfully satisfied. This is a story I will read to my children, and I am buying a copy, because it is the rare kind of book that I will keep for my children to read to their children someday. I have no doubt I will read it again just for me, too, and it is sure to be gifted by me to a friend or two. It is THAT good. It is an engaging story, with meaningful stories within the story. It is rich with lessons about friendship, adventure, gratitude, and the secret of happiness. Minli is a heroine to fall in love with, and Grace Lin is an author to watch. This is one of those rare books worth not only buying, but passing down.

The book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, is beautifully written and is a perfect multicultural piece for children in grades 3-6. As soon as I started reading the book, I didn't want to put it down! It takes you on a thrilling journey with Minli, a young girl living in the Valley of Fruitless Mountain who in intrigued by her father's exciting tales. She comes from a poor family and sees how hard her parents work just to get by, so she wants to make things better for them. One of her favorite tales told by her father is about the Old Man of the Moon, who holds the book of fortunes and can also change the future. Without her parent's permission, Minli decides to set out on an adventure to find the Old Man of the Moon so that he can change her families fortune and give them prosperity. Throughout her journey, she is faced with difficult situations, but always finds a way to keep pushing on to find the Old Man of the Moon. She meets a dragon along the way, who sticks with her on this long journey. They become very good friends and end up helping each other really find themselves and what they've been searching for. Minli shows her bravery and determination from the beginning of her quest all the way to the end and it is very inspiring to read. This is a New York Times bestseller and a Newbery Honor book. In my opinion, I thought this was overall a great book and it kept me wanting to read more and more. I think that the plot is very easy and fun for children to understand and also gives them a chance to use their imaginations and get creative with their thinking. I highly recommend this book to children of all ages because it is a story of true friendship, courage, loyalty, and excitement. This is also a great book to use in the classroom because it not only provides a multicultural aspect, but gives readers many life lessons that they can take with them as they grow. It brought me joy and entertainment to read about Minli's journey and watch her grow as she traveled to find the Old Man of the Moon. I hope that everyone who reads it will find it as enjoyable as I did!

This book was very good. It was very action packed and taught me many different life lessons. I recommend this book for any ages not just ages 8-12. Grace Lin put lots of thought and effort into this book. My favorite part was when Minli was fighting the tiger in the cave, because it was so intense. Although this book is long, it is so good. I hope you choose to read this book next!

When an author wants to write their first fantasy novel for children, they'll sometimes fall back on the books they themselves loved as kids. If they were Alice in Wonderland fans they might go the route of Neil Gaiman's Coraline. If they were partial to The Wizard of Oz they could do as Salman Rushdie did when he wrote Haroun and the Sea of Stories. As Grace Lin explains in her Author's Note to "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon", some of the books she read at eleven were dozens upon dozens of Chinese folktale and fairytale stories. With her customary cleverness Lin has now taken the essence of those tales and woven them into a quest novel that is a mix of contemporary smart girl pizzazz and the feel of a classic that your parents were read as children. If there's any author out there today with the potential of being remembered and beloved 100 years down the line, Grace Lin has my vote.

Poor in the valley of Fruitless Mountain, young Minli and her family earn their daily rice by working and scraping in the fields near their home. Her sole joy comes at night when her father tells her wonderful stories of far away places. One day Minli buys a goldfish to improve her fortunes, but when her mother sees her "foolish" purchase, Minli frees the fish and sets it in the river. Little does she suspect that this single act will give her the impetus to seek her family's fortune by leaving to find the Old Man of the Moon. Along the way Minli makes friends and outwits foes in her attempt to help not just herself but those she loves and cares about.

The aforementioned "Haroun and the Sea of Stories" was the book I kept thinking about when I was reading, "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon". Like Lin's novel, Rushdie attempted to reawaken that feeling you get when you read a quest novel where disparate characters band together and become friends along the way. The thing is, Lin has been cleverer than Rushdie here. While his novel was essentially an Oz redux, Lin's world combines old stories and classic myths to come up with something that seems entirely new. The feel of this book has similarities to Oz, in that you feel you are in a safe space when you read this tale. Small children will not be frightened when this is read to them while older kids will relate to Minli and understand what makes her want to run away.

In Lin's previous (and younger) novels for kids (The Year of the Dog,The Year of the Rat) she breaks up the text regularly with stories that are pertinent to the action, as well as wonderful little vignettes. While doing so, she impresses you with her writing. Phrases stick in a person's brain, like "The forest was full of shapes and shadows and only barely could he see the faint footprints on the ground - it was like searching for a wrinkle in a flower petal." Lin also conjures up visuals. In one village, each villager cuts a bit of cloth from their own clothes to provide Minli with a warm coat. When she leaves, she waves goodbye. "As she watched the sea of ruined sleeves flutter at her, she realized it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen." And she has so perfectly incorporated real legends and fables too. Generally Lin's interpretations of the tales sound like her own inventions. Only once in a while do you get a glimpse of the old tale behind her words. When the Old Man of the Moon changes a man's fate by turning the number 19 into 91 with a simple flick of a brush, one can assume he's not doing it to numbers as we see them, but as a reader you simply do not care.

One of the other remarkable things about the book is that the story isn't just Minli's journey we're watching but the emotional journey of her mother. From scraping harpy into loving appreciative person, we see this change come about thanks to her grief. How many quest tales can you think about where you cut between the protagonist and their healthy relatives at home? Even if it happens, the relatives are usually in some kind of dire straits. Not here. The biggest problems dealt with in these passages is the loneliness of the parents. And for some kids, this will be a relief. To know that the parents are still safe and sound. To see how much they care for their absent daughter, even while she's off having adventures. There's a kind of tacit understanding at work here. No matter how far you go, your parents will still be back at your home waiting for you. No matter what.

Lin has always been an artist, so it's little surprise that she has illustrated this book. What is new is that the pictures aren't the usual pen and ink spot illustrations. Little Brown shelled out some cold hard cash to make sure that each picture in this book is lush and lovely. While still recognizably her style, the art in this book is not as young as her work on, say, Lissy's Friends or Where on Earth is My Bagel? There's a sophistication here that we've never seen before. For example, the initial view of Fruitless Mountain keeps a finger on what is kid-friendly, but also hints at the history of Chinese art and design at the same time. And in the text there are spot illustrations true, but even these are colorful. My sole regret is how small the book is. Someday it would be nice to see this title in a full lap-sized edition for easier reading. The better to appreciate the pictures, I think.

Sometimes it's just nice to read something to your kids that's beautiful. Holding "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" is like holding a small treasure. A little piece of art. A graceful departure from the younger books she has done before, Lin mixes great writing with even greater kid-appeal and comes up with a story that everyone can enjoy. Boys and girls, kids and parents, everyone will like what they find here. How many books can you say that of off the top of your head?

Ages 7-12.

This book is a nice combination of fantasy and Chinese mythology and folklore. Colorful illustrations are placed throughout the book. This book is short, yet detailed, with stories within the story. It is simply written, so it's good for young readers, and the chapters are structured in such a way that a parent could read this book to their children as a bedtime story, if said parent were so inclined.

This was really wonderful to read—I'm glad it was assigned in my kidlit class! With its beautiful illustrations, and lovely story based off Chinese mythology, I definitely give a thumbs up to this MG fantasy. :)

I have read this book to students at the 5th grade level for the last two years and they simply have fell in love with the book. It's attention grabbing, full of adventure, and teaches many life lessons that are easy to pick up on for kids. I recommend this book to anyone that is a reader. Excellent book!!! Because the main character learns that being thankful is very important, she changes the fortunes of many characters in the story. She also learns to put others needs before hers sometimes. Great read!!!

This is truly a lovely story. There's the adventurous journey part, to provide interesting forward momentum. There's the strong central character, and her dragon companion, to provide an anchor for the reader. Then, and this is what makes the book stand out in my mind, there is the sense of being in a place far removed from the here and now of 21st-century America. This is not just because it is "set in China" and features a non-white heroine, although these aspects of the book make it a welcome addition to middle-grade fantasy. Grace Lin has made her imagined China a very real and rich place, not simply through the inclusion of magical background in the embedded tales, but through her use of imagery and metaphor in her writing, combined with practical details of life, like how to plant and cook rice, and what you would pack if you were a peasant girl in ancient China setting off on a journey.

I only buy children books that are worth collecting which I think could become a classic.
When I chance upon this book, what it captivated me was the traditional Chinese paper-cut picture in each chapter and the Chinese painting type of illustrations. After reading the first chapter, I was immediately captivated. Liked Minli, I wanted to know what story her father is going to tell her next. I like "The Story of the Paper of Happiness" the most ? The secret of happiness was not revealed in this book. But one shall know what is it or think what is it before finished the book. I love how the story is constructed with a story within a story and all stories are interlinked with a parable.
Of course, this book has become one of my precious collection and I am recommending this book to my nieces and nephews.

My daughter is not very willing to try books that are not part of a "fairy-type" series, and I am always trying to get her to try new and different books. I ordered this book from the library hoping that she would like it. She wasn't interested at first, but faced with a long car ride and nothing else to do she started reading it. She loved it. She was excited to tell her dad about the stories in the book, since he is Chinese and often tells stories with very similar themes. I love that it gave them something common to talk about and share. It also had beautiful color illustrations throughout the book. I am looking forward to reading it myself.

My son has been having a hard time finding books to keep him engaged. He read this book in less than a week. He loved it. He was excited to read some of the "stories" aloud to me from the book. He was very eager to read the next two books in the series as well. He is currently on the last book. Thank you Grace Lin for helping my son find the joy in reading again.

I just finished reading the novel, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. I am really surprised with my feelings about this book. At first I was not interested in reading the novel and as I started to read the beginning I just wanted to get to the ending. This novel has really shown me that no matter how much you have or don’t have to always be happy and formed with what you have. There is nothing better than to be grateful for your family. In this story, Minli, a young but very brave girl, journeys out to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask to change the fortune of her family but when her opportunity rises she chooses to ask why her friend dragon can’t fly. This shows how Minli has changed over her journey and decides to help her friend instead of herself.
This is a great piece of literature that can be read to any age group and not just for second to fourth grade levels. I can image reading this to a first grade class and with such fine detail, students can create their own imagery of the story. It is well worth your time.

I have a passion for many things having to do with Chinese culture and wanted to find something to explain some of it to my daughter when she was in 3rd grade. Boy did this book hit the spot! She keeps it on her bookshelf as one of her favorite books to reread and she is now a 7th grader. This story has fairytale magic and adventure. It also has real word issues like helping your parents and getting lost. I can't wait for my next child to get lost in this wonderful story.

Folklore is the foundation of culture and Grace Lin has done wonderful work in weaving her imagination with traditional Chinese stories to create a beautiful story. One can read this story themselves or most defiantly can be read together as a family and can be enjoyed just the same. This book is not just a children's story exclusively because anybody of any age who has an youthful imagination will be able to appreciate the creativity of this author and her work.

I am a 9 year old, and I like the sneak peak on "When The River Turned Silver", without any complaints or concerns that need to be changed, and with that said, I would like to recommend this to my friends, also said that I gave this review because of well-done writing ??????????????????????????????????????????⌨️?, good luck!??????????????????????☺️????????????????????????

The book is okay... I found it not as interesting as others have found it to be. However, this would be a great book to introduce Chinese folk talk to students such as in 5th grade. There would be great art activities that could be done based off this book. Thanks, Caro.

Where The Mountain Meets The Moon is an extraordinary book that magically weaves chinese folk lore into an exciting adventure of a young girl who is discovering herself and her place in the world. A twist to the classic tale The Wizard Of Oz, this book would be adored by anyone who loves to read a good story. The artwork is enchanting and truly captures the feeling behind the words. It is definitely one for my book shelf and I am thrilled to have stumbled upon it

My girls loved Grace Lin's book and wrote the following book review for school. I am now sharing it on the store.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin was a great book! Lin is a very descriptive writer. For example, her juicy writing brings the mini stories alive, and creates a colorful picture for the reader's mind. She also is a good writer because the pictures were inspired by real images. For example a picture in one part of the book is based in the Humble Administrator's Gardens in Suzhou, in China.
In this book, Minli decides to take a journey to find a person from a story that her father often tells her about, because she wants to bring good fortune to her family and village. She wants to bring good fortune to her family and village because her village and family are poor, and the only way to earn money is to work in the rice fields.
Similar to The Wizard of Oz, the main character takes a journey, and meets friends along the way. For example Minli meets a dragon and Dorothy meets the lion. If you enjoy adventurous books, then you will definitely have a fun time reading this book.
You are in for a treat if you read this book.
Thank You!
By HSCA!!

The magical surprises and connections among characters in this book make for a beautiful story for any age. The main character, MinLi, is a dreamer who acts on her beliefs and embarks on an adventure. She finds that all of the legends and stories she has been told are true and directly related to her life. Young children will like Min Li's adventurous spirit, while older kids will get a kick out of seeing the inter-relatedness of all of the book's characters. Teens and adults will find messages about love, bravery, belief in one's dreams and forgiveness.

The book is perfect in so many ways, from the format and illustrations to the tale itself that I really hope it wins the Newbery! I would recommend this book to just about anyone looking for a good story.

I don't normally leave feedback, but felt strongly enough about this book to do so this time. In short I loved reading it to my two 7 year old daughters. I loved how the story flowed and unfolded. I loved how characters were developed. I loved how I was surprised at a number of turns. Most of all I loved the truly excellent messages this story taught. I would whole heartedly recommend this to anyone and have already purchased my next book by this author.

I read this to my son as part of his fifth grade curriculum and it became one of my favorite kid lit books. The book itself is beautiful, with different colored text to separate different sections, lovely illustrations, and wonderful storytelling. The brief chapters keep the reader engaged and wanting to read more. We both enjoyed reading this, and that is saying something.

Far and away my favorite book of 2009 is this gem. Minli lives in an extremely poor town in China and has nothing to look forward to besides the fantastic stories her Da tells. Then one day a man selling goldfish comes to town and claims they will bring good fortune to a home. Minli is inspired to buy one, but then her mother is harshly disapproving. When Minli sadly goes to release her fish into the river, the fish speaks to her and tells her the way to Neverending Mountain where she can ask the Man in the Moon how to change their fortunes. So Minli sets off on a journey where she realizes all stories are both true and interconnected and that her heart's desire was in her own backyard all along. A glorious, magical, uplifting, marvelous story that is well suited to reading aloud as much as reading to yourself.

Even holding this book is a joy, as it is printed on heavier than normal paper and littered with color illustrations. As different characters tell their stories, a different font is used. This book is the whole package and if it doesn't win SOMEthing from the Newbery committee, it will be a tragedy.

Buy it! Read it! Love it! Tell your friends!

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, is a beautifully told fantasy about a young Chinese girl named Minli on a quest to find her fortune. Within the story of Minli's journey to find the Old Man of the Moon, she hears many other stories that help her along the way and teach her what is most important. Grace Lin's paintings and drawings add enormous depth to the story and are works of art in their own right. Readers young and old will be enchanted with this tale and will want to read it again and again.

This book is a nice combination of fantasy and Chinese mythology and folklore. Colorful illustrations are placed throughout the book. This book is short, yet detailed, with stories within the story. It is simply written, so it's good for young readers, and the chapters are structured in such a way that a parent could read this book to their children as a bedtime story, if said parent were so inclined.

This was really wonderful to read—I'm glad it was assigned in my kidlit class! With its beautiful illustrations, and lovely story based off Chinese mythology, I definitely give a thumbs up to this MG fantasy. :)

I have read this book to students at the 5th grade level for the last two years and they simply have fell in love with the book. It's attention grabbing, full of adventure, and teaches many life lessons that are easy to pick up on for kids. I recommend this book to anyone that is a reader. Excellent book!!! Because the main character learns that being thankful is very important, she changes the fortunes of many characters in the story. She also learns to put others needs before hers sometimes. Great read!!!

This is truly a lovely story. There's the adventurous journey part, to provide interesting forward momentum. There's the strong central character, and her dragon companion, to provide an anchor for the reader. Then, and this is what makes the book stand out in my mind, there is the sense of being in a place far removed from the here and now of 21st-century America. This is not just because it is "set in China" and features a non-white heroine, although these aspects of the book make it a welcome addition to middle-grade fantasy. Grace Lin has made her imagined China a very real and rich place, not simply through the inclusion of magical background in the embedded tales, but through her use of imagery and metaphor in her writing, combined with practical details of life, like how to plant and cook rice, and what you would pack if you were a peasant girl in ancient China setting off on a journey.

I only buy children books that are worth collecting which I think could become a classic.
When I chance upon this book, what it captivated me was the traditional Chinese paper-cut picture in each chapter and the Chinese painting type of illustrations. After reading the first chapter, I was immediately captivated. Liked Minli, I wanted to know what story her father is going to tell her next. I like "The Story of the Paper of Happiness" the most ? The secret of happiness was not revealed in this book. But one shall know what is it or think what is it before finished the book. I love how the story is constructed with a story within a story and all stories are interlinked with a parable.
Of course, this book has become one of my precious collection and I am recommending this book to my nieces and nephews.

My daughter is not very willing to try books that are not part of a "fairy-type" series, and I am always trying to get her to try new and different books. I ordered this book from the library hoping that she would like it. She wasn't interested at first, but faced with a long car ride and nothing else to do she started reading it. She loved it. She was excited to tell her dad about the stories in the book, since he is Chinese and often tells stories with very similar themes. I love that it gave them something common to talk about and share. It also had beautiful color illustrations throughout the book. I am looking forward to reading it myself.

My son has been having a hard time finding books to keep him engaged. He read this book in less than a week. He loved it. He was excited to read some of the "stories" aloud to me from the book. He was very eager to read the next two books in the series as well. He is currently on the last book. Thank you Grace Lin for helping my son find the joy in reading again.

I just finished reading the novel, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. I am really surprised with my feelings about this book. At first I was not interested in reading the novel and as I started to read the beginning I just wanted to get to the ending. This novel has really shown me that no matter how much you have or don’t have to always be happy and formed with what you have. There is nothing better than to be grateful for your family. In this story, Minli, a young but very brave girl, journeys out to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask to change the fortune of her family but when her opportunity rises she chooses to ask why her friend dragon can’t fly. This shows how Minli has changed over her journey and decides to help her friend instead of herself.
This is a great piece of literature that can be read to any age group and not just for second to fourth grade levels. I can image reading this to a first grade class and with such fine detail, students can create their own imagery of the story. It is well worth your time.

I have a passion for many things having to do with Chinese culture and wanted to find something to explain some of it to my daughter when she was in 3rd grade. Boy did this book hit the spot! She keeps it on her bookshelf as one of her favorite books to reread and she is now a 7th grader. This story has fairytale magic and adventure. It also has real word issues like helping your parents and getting lost. I can't wait for my next child to get lost in this wonderful story.

Folklore is the foundation of culture and Grace Lin has done wonderful work in weaving her imagination with traditional Chinese stories to create a beautiful story. One can read this story themselves or most defiantly can be read together as a family and can be enjoyed just the same. This book is not just a children's story exclusively because anybody of any age who has an youthful imagination will be able to appreciate the creativity of this author and her work.

I am a 9 year old, and I like the sneak peak on "When The River Turned Silver", without any complaints or concerns that need to be changed, and with that said, I would like to recommend this to my friends, also said that I gave this review because of well-done writing ??????????????????????????????????????????⌨️?, good luck!??????????????????????☺️????????????????????????

The book is okay... I found it not as interesting as others have found it to be. However, this would be a great book to introduce Chinese folk talk to students such as in 5th grade. There would be great art activities that could be done based off this book. Thanks, Caro.

Where The Mountain Meets The Moon is an extraordinary book that magically weaves chinese folk lore into an exciting adventure of a young girl who is discovering herself and her place in the world. A twist to the classic tale The Wizard Of Oz, this book would be adored by anyone who loves to read a good story. The artwork is enchanting and truly captures the feeling behind the words. It is definitely one for my book shelf and I am thrilled to have stumbled upon it

My girls loved Grace Lin's book and wrote the following book review for school. I am now sharing it on the store.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, by Grace Lin was a great book! Lin is a very descriptive writer. For example, her juicy writing brings the mini stories alive, and creates a colorful picture for the reader's mind. She also is a good writer because the pictures were inspired by real images. For example a picture in one part of the book is based in the Humble Administrator's Gardens in Suzhou, in China.
In this book, Minli decides to take a journey to find a person from a story that her father often tells her about, because she wants to bring good fortune to her family and village. She wants to bring good fortune to her family and village because her village and family are poor, and the only way to earn money is to work in the rice fields.
Similar to The Wizard of Oz, the main character takes a journey, and meets friends along the way. For example Minli meets a dragon and Dorothy meets the lion. If you enjoy adventurous books, then you will definitely have a fun time reading this book.
You are in for a treat if you read this book.
Thank You!
By HSCA!!

The magical surprises and connections among characters in this book make for a beautiful story for any age. The main character, MinLi, is a dreamer who acts on her beliefs and embarks on an adventure. She finds that all of the legends and stories she has been told are true and directly related to her life. Young children will like Min Li's adventurous spirit, while older kids will get a kick out of seeing the inter-relatedness of all of the book's characters. Teens and adults will find messages about love, bravery, belief in one's dreams and forgiveness.

The book is perfect in so many ways, from the format and illustrations to the tale itself that I really hope it wins the Newbery! I would recommend this book to just about anyone looking for a good story.

I don't normally leave feedback, but felt strongly enough about this book to do so this time. In short I loved reading it to my two 7 year old daughters. I loved how the story flowed and unfolded. I loved how characters were developed. I loved how I was surprised at a number of turns. Most of all I loved the truly excellent messages this story taught. I would whole heartedly recommend this to anyone and have already purchased my next book by this author.

I read this to my son as part of his fifth grade curriculum and it became one of my favorite kid lit books. The book itself is beautiful, with different colored text to separate different sections, lovely illustrations, and wonderful storytelling. The brief chapters keep the reader engaged and wanting to read more. We both enjoyed reading this, and that is saying something.

Far and away my favorite book of 2009 is this gem. Minli lives in an extremely poor town in China and has nothing to look forward to besides the fantastic stories her Da tells. Then one day a man selling goldfish comes to town and claims they will bring good fortune to a home. Minli is inspired to buy one, but then her mother is harshly disapproving. When Minli sadly goes to release her fish into the river, the fish speaks to her and tells her the way to Neverending Mountain where she can ask the Man in the Moon how to change their fortunes. So Minli sets off on a journey where she realizes all stories are both true and interconnected and that her heart's desire was in her own backyard all along. A glorious, magical, uplifting, marvelous story that is well suited to reading aloud as much as reading to yourself.

Even holding this book is a joy, as it is printed on heavier than normal paper and littered with color illustrations. As different characters tell their stories, a different font is used. This book is the whole package and if it doesn't win SOMEthing from the Newbery committee, it will be a tragedy.

Buy it! Read it! Love it! Tell your friends!

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, is a beautifully told fantasy about a young Chinese girl named Minli on a quest to find her fortune. Within the story of Minli's journey to find the Old Man of the Moon, she hears many other stories that help her along the way and teach her what is most important. Grace Lin's paintings and drawings add enormous depth to the story and are works of art in their own right. Readers young and old will be enchanted with this tale and will want to read it again and again.

As soon as I began to read this book by Grace Lin I could not put it down. This novel sparked up my creativity and my imagination like no other novel I have read as an adult. The book seemed so accurate in the culture it was based off of which is the Chinese culture. The detail in the novel is so impressive that I actually looked up stories mentioned in the novel and found out it was really true and accurate to legends used in China. This Novel is filled with wonder and it made me as a reader realize that life has hope and that hope has a lot to do with how happy we are in life. It teaches many lessons through an enriching view of the Chinese culture avoiding stereotypes and misconceptions thus making this a great book to read for the whole family at home and for children in schools that accurately lets us as readers learn and understand views of a great different culture.

It's a keeper. Worth reading over and over. Deserves a space in your bookshelf. Amazing writing. I cannot keep the book down. Read it out loud for my 6 yo for bedtime but after she falls asleep I cannot find myself to put the book down. It's very captivating.

This was a beautiful book. The illustrations, the chapter drawings, the cover and all the fable-type stories within the story. Both of my kids and myself thoroughly enjoyed this book. Listening to the audiobook was entertaining, but I'm glad that we read along, or we would have missed all the drawings throughout the book. A great read, and great morals. This is one that we'll most likely do again and again.

Where the Mountain meets the moon by Grace Lin is a fantasy fiction book. This book takes you to a fantasy world where you will not want to come back. Minly, the main character, is a brave teenager girl who will take us to her journey to find the answer she is looking for: how to bring fortune to her house. Minly leaves her house to find the old man of the moon, because he is the only one who will be able to give her the answer. During her journey, she meets with different types of characters: some of the characters help her; others make her journey a little more difficult. At the end of the story, when we think that, finally, Minly will have the answer to her question, something unexpected happens that will leave the reader with their mouth open and will also give the reader a good message that will make us have a reflection in our lives.

My 10 year-old daughter just read this book for the 2nd time:

"This book is amazing, from the old Chinese fairy-tale stories (Grace Lin created some herself) that the characters tell, to the characters themselves, and to the plot. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is about Minli, a young, Chinese girl traveling to the Never-Ending Mountain where the Old Man of the Moon lives, to try to get a better fortune for her parents and herself. And it's obvious why it was chosen as the Newbery Award Book of 2010: It is beautifully written. It's perfect for 3rd graders and up, and a great book to read together as a family. Everyone has their own opinion, but when I finished I thought, 'What a wonderful book'."

This book is amazingly complicated, considering that it is geared toward "young readers". It was obviously a lot of work for the author but I'm sure it will keep anyone's interest! It has multiple stories within the story which is fractured between the adventuring heroine and the people waiting at home. The stories have that "oral" feel and yet the thoughts of the heroine are easy to relate to. The descriptions are beautiful the characters are sometimes surprising. Great read!

We bought this book for our 10 year-old niece’s birthday. I started to read it on the ride home before wrapping it and found I didn’t want to put it down! Ended up borrowing it from the library so I could finish the story. The characters are vibrant and I enjoyed how the stories wove together. Great messaging for young readers and the artistry is also well done! I can see why this book earned its award!

Minli is a young girl who lives in a Village in China, her parents works as " rice pickers ". Minli is a "Quick thinker" as the villagers call her,and also what her name means. Minli lives near a mountain that has never grown anything but shrubs. Her village is very poor and can barely harvest enough rice to eat, well Minli wants that to change. She decides to go on an adventure and find The Old Man Of The Moon.
I loved this book. I loved how in the story the author put old Chinese folk tales. The story somehow made you believe for a second that if The Old Man Of The Moon was real that everything would be filled with peace and good fortune. I would recommend this book to others that like reading about Dragons that can't fly and gold fish that can talk. This is a great story and some how teaches you a little something about Old Chinese Folk Tales.

You will enjoy this book if you enjoy using your imagination. Lin has written a story full of great characters and vivid details while still inspiring the reader to join her in using your imagination to follow Minli on her journey to find the Old Man in the Moon.

Dreaming of finding the Never-ending Mountain and the Old Man in the Moon, young Minli leaves her home of small fortune in Fruitless Mountain. Seeking good fortune, Minli finds the company of a dragon. Through adventures and old Chinese tales, Minli and the dragon travel to the land where the mountain meets the moon, learning the true meaning of fortune. Children ages 7-10 will adore the mix of Chinese folktales and fiction, as well as the strong female heroine.

What a great story T his is my fourth Grace Lin audiobook loved it
Loved all of her books so far
Thank you the narrator Janet song makes this book come alive. I have read and given awaya several Grace Lins books. They are all great.
My daughter and granddaughter love The ugly vegetables , I do too

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is an absolutely enchanting, wonderful tale about what is most important in life, told through the story of a young girl, Minli who leaves her parents on a quest to find out how to make their lives better. The journey and the friends she makes during her trek teach her an invaluable lesson. Sounds didactic, but the story is beautiful.

I bought this book to read with my 7 year-old daughter. I decided to read it first and I absolutely loved it. I can't wait to start reading it with her when we go on vacation this Friday. The story is beautiful and it is written in such a lovely way. This is now definitely one of my favorite children's book. I highly recommend it.

My 6 year old daughter and I just finished this book, and we both really enjoyed it. In her words: "If you read this book, I think it will enchant you. The stories flooded into my mind like magic." We had trouble putting it down, and I delayed bedtime for each of the 3 nights we were reading it, so we could read 'just one more chapter.' I am searching now for the author's other books to use as Christmas gifts.

This is an exquisitely crafted story, or actually a number of stories embedded and intertwined within a story. Each of the smaller stories adds a layer of meaning to the story as a whole, and at the end, everything is neatly and beautifully wrapped up. It is a story of what is most important in life, and what brings lasting happiness. As a children's librarian, I appreciate a finely written multicultural tale.

I highly recommend this book, I read it because I have a daughter who loves to read. It is beautifully written and arranged. The stories within the main story make it like a seem like a rich tapestry. The illustrations are well done and make the book into a small work of art. Thank you to Grace Lin for writing this book! It makes me see a little bit better where the lovely Chinese imagery, stories and art come from.

I don't typically write reviews but this book was an exceptional piece of children's literature that I hope makes its way into many more households. Grace Lin's newest book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, has done something that very few books have been able to do in our household - hold the rapt attention of both my children from beginning to end. Each night our family would reach a few chapters of this book before bedtime. It immediately captured our imagination and held onto it. My children (and I) loved to look at the beautiful color illustrations that Grace has interspersed throughout the book. Her writing is incredibly descriptive and pulls you into the story. Many others have already written about the synopsis of this book so I will not go into that. I will say that this book was so beloved by my 8 year old that she begged me to buy copies for her teachers so that she could share this book with them in hopes that they will be able to share it with others. As a parent, how could I want anything else from a book? Thank you Grace Lin!

There are so many wonderful things about this book, and, in my opinion, it lacks nothing. The full-page color illustrations are gorgeous. The writing is simple, yet full of imagery. The storytelling is enchanting, and the moral of the story is a valuable one.

I read this book aloud to my 3-(almost-4)-year-old daughter Isabelle, and at times it was difficult because I was actually choking up with tears! Besides having touching moments, the book also includes adventure, mystery, and laughter. All the many little stories fit together in the end, which makes it a particularly satisfying read.

I wouldn't be surprised if this book were made into a movie one day. The descriptive scenery, the epic journey - everything in this book lends itself to being a fantastic big-screen experience.

This book caught my eye in the store because of its beautiful art and wonderful paper quality. i got it on a whim. it proved to be one of the most delightful stories i have ever read. it was a rich rewarding experience and it was made the more so for the exquisite feel and quality of the book itself. this is not something that should be read on a computer.

My 5 year old daughter and I loved reading this book as a bed-time story. The author has taken several classic chinese tales from her childhood and rewritten them into this GORGEOUS story. It's refreshing, spunky, imaginative and includes dragons, monkeys and talking goldfish. It also teaches a good lesson, that money does not equal happiness. My 8 year old son faded in and out with it. He was interested in parts, but he didn't hang on every word like my daughter did. Now my daughter wants to learn everything she can about dragons and both kids want to go to China.

I just finished reading this to my 5 year old and 8 year old (who has already read the book but wanted to hear it again). We would stay up late, just to squeeze another chapter in. It was hard to put down. This was such a beautiful book. This will be one to read again and again.

This is a very good book. I really liked how everything fit together in the end. There are lot's of morals, but I won't bother trying to decipher them right now. Other than that, there isn't much that hasn't already been said by other reviewers. It can be a little boring, but don't let that turn you off to reading this amazing book. P.S.: I am a twelve year old girl using her mom's acount.

My family enjoyed this book. My husband read it every night for a little over a week to my 7 and 10 year old children. We all enjoyed the book and following the journey of the characters and the lessons they learned. My husband wishes there were more books like this for us to read as a family.

I thought Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, is a great book for readers who enjoy fantasy and Asian folklore. I thought the overall message from the book was really nice, and I like how the author embedded all the folklore stories into the book. I would defiantly read this book again, I also think the imagination was super cool. I liked the part when Minli first met the dragon, and I really loved how the author told the dragons story.

I thought this would be a book for children only, but found on reviewing it that it appeals to all ages. It is beautifully written; magical; elegant; lyrical; a very enjoyable read. Many are saying this will become a children's classic--I agree.

I had to read this book for school and take tests on it. At first, I was thinking it was going to be very very boring, but it ended up being a really great book. I was thoroughly impressed and I recommend this book to anybody. Teenagers like me would probably enjoy it more, but I think some adults would like it as well. 5/5

I just finished reading this book to my six year old daughter. We enjoyed it so very much. We had been reading a few chapters a night and of course had to do 10 at one time last night so we could find out what happened. She was full of oohs and ahhhs, gasps and sighs. Parts of this book have become allegory for us...she will turn to me and say "this is just like Minli when...". I know this book will become a classic in our family and my daughters will read it to their daughters.

This story is so beautiful.There is so much imagination that it makes you want to imaginate too.I instantly was drawn in to the book and read every page interested.I think this might be the best children's book i've ever read.

In this book a littl girl named Minli sets out to find the Oldman of the moo, who knows everything with a special book. She wants to ask him how she cn change her families fortune. Read on to find out more.

I just read a similar title from another review, and I couldn't agree more. I have been telling everyone I know about this book. It is a beautifully written, absorbing story with many important lessons along the way - not to mention talking goldfish and dragons and tigers and a hero's quest. I have read it twice with my now 8-year-old daughter (and I think she has read it at least 3 or 4 more times on her own). We love it! And reading the author's story at the end of why she wrote it made it even better!

This story was truly exciting and fun!! I loved all of the story's it told in the original story. This was a fascinating fable. I loved how this story included many personification, metaphors, and similes!!! That (personally) is the kind of book I love!!

This book was extremely entertaining. It was full of vivid imagery, so much so that you can imagine yourself in the world you are reading about. There was a bit if "Wizard of Oz" element in the book, which is not a bad thing. If you are looking for something to read to your child, or as a teacher something to read to your students, this is the book for you. It has wonderful messages throughout.

I got Where the Mountain Meets the Moon in my Easter basket. This book is so creative and I haven't read anything that even stands up to this book. The characters and art in this book are amazing. I am in third grade and would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading. This book was very touching and even gave me some tears in my eyes. I loved how the author told about Chinese culture and legends. I couldn't put this book down! Go grab yourself a copy today...quick! (Written by my third grader)

I just read this book to lead a grade-school literature discussion group. Let me first stipulate that the book is charming and entertaining, with a memorably clever and good-hearted heroine. But has no one else considered the backward message of its politics? I may be reading a little too much into a children's book, but culture is always in conversation with the political and economic arrangements of a society. The message of this fable is: greed and ambition are bad; acceptance and gratitude for the few grains of rice that the peasant can coax from the ground is good. Has this not always been the position of the rich and powerful? "Greed is good," says Gordon Gecko, except when it's the desire of the 99% to claim a fair share of society's resources. No character in the book ever seems to question that wealth for the magistrates and kings, and poverty for the peasants, is the natural order of things. So while I appreciate the message that "money can't buy you love," I wasn't so satisfied with idea that the poor should be happy with their poverty in a very unequal society.

This was one of my favourite stories growing up. I have good memories of reading it, this was one of the first books I read by myself that developed a true passion for literature in me. Now my sister is in grade school and is reading my copy. A very beautiful tale.

Certainly one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read to my children. The storytelling, the imagery, the mythology, the structure, the illustrations--everything weaves together beautifully. I was enraptured with it, as were all three of my children (ages 8, 6, and 4).

I had this book for summer reading, and I groaned because it looked babyish.But when I started reading it I immediately got sucked into the story.I loved this book would recommend it to anyone who can read.??

This book taught me a lot about Chinese fables ,they are very interesting and it was a pleasure to read this book. I can't wait to read more of your book! You are a great writer Grace Lin you should think about writing a whole Chinese series I promise I'll read it!!!! SINCERELY , me the reader of your awesome book KR

I just finished reading the sequel to this book, The Starry River Of The Sky and it was almost just as good. This book is my favorite of all time. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, yes it is that good. This book would be suitable for all ages especially kids because of how mystical it is, they will definetly enjoy it. Here is the link to the sequel: Starry River of the Sky

I am a 4 th grade teacher, and I read this as part of my summer reading preparation. I was mesmerized from the first word, and I can't wait to share this enchanting story with my daughters and with my class next year. Grace Lin has written a story that inspires young readers to believe in the magic of the world around them, and still appreciate the real love of family and friends!! Fantastic novel!!

I loved every second of this book, it was breathtaking. It is very moving and in some parts you just want to break down and cry. This book relates to many peoples lives, and I love it because of that. This is one of the few books that you just want to read over and over again.

I have been reading this book to my daughter. Her eyes light up with the magic of this book. Its become a sort of narrative for us and my daughter will say, "Its like where the mountain meets the moon"

One of the best children's books I've read. Sweet, adventurous, interesting, and meaningful. I read a lot to my 8 year old son and I usually edit out foul language (stupid), scary parts and name calling, etc. This book required very little editing. Like someone else already mentioned, I may have enjoyed it more than him!

I got Where the Mountain Meets the Moon in my Easter basket. This book is so creative and I haven't read anything that even stands up to this book. The characters and art in this book are amazing. I am in third grade and would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading. This book was very touching and even gave me some tears in my eyes. I loved how the author told about Chinese culture and legends. I couldn't put this book down! Go grab yourself a copy today...quick! (Written by my third grader)

I just read this book to lead a grade-school literature discussion group. Let me first stipulate that the book is charming and entertaining, with a memorably clever and good-hearted heroine. But has no one else considered the backward message of its politics? I may be reading a little too much into a children's book, but culture is always in conversation with the political and economic arrangements of a society. The message of this fable is: greed and ambition are bad; acceptance and gratitude for the few grains of rice that the peasant can coax from the ground is good. Has this not always been the position of the rich and powerful? "Greed is good," says Gordon Gecko, except when it's the desire of the 99% to claim a fair share of society's resources. No character in the book ever seems to question that wealth for the magistrates and kings, and poverty for the peasants, is the natural order of things. So while I appreciate the message that "money can't buy you love," I wasn't so satisfied with idea that the poor should be happy with their poverty in a very unequal society.

This was one of my favourite stories growing up. I have good memories of reading it, this was one of the first books I read by myself that developed a true passion for literature in me. Now my sister is in grade school and is reading my copy. A very beautiful tale.

Certainly one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read to my children. The storytelling, the imagery, the mythology, the structure, the illustrations--everything weaves together beautifully. I was enraptured with it, as were all three of my children (ages 8, 6, and 4).

I had this book for summer reading, and I groaned because it looked babyish.But when I started reading it I immediately got sucked into the story.I loved this book would recommend it to anyone who can read.??

This book taught me a lot about Chinese fables ,they are very interesting and it was a pleasure to read this book. I can't wait to read more of your book! You are a great writer Grace Lin you should think about writing a whole Chinese series I promise I'll read it!!!! SINCERELY , me the reader of your awesome book KR

I just finished reading the sequel to this book, The Starry River Of The Sky and it was almost just as good. This book is my favorite of all time. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone, yes it is that good. This book would be suitable for all ages especially kids because of how mystical it is, they will definetly enjoy it. Here is the link to the sequel: Starry River of the Sky

I am a 4 th grade teacher, and I read this as part of my summer reading preparation. I was mesmerized from the first word, and I can't wait to share this enchanting story with my daughters and with my class next year. Grace Lin has written a story that inspires young readers to believe in the magic of the world around them, and still appreciate the real love of family and friends!! Fantastic novel!!

I loved every second of this book, it was breathtaking. It is very moving and in some parts you just want to break down and cry. This book relates to many peoples lives, and I love it because of that. This is one of the few books that you just want to read over and over again.

I have been reading this book to my daughter. Her eyes light up with the magic of this book. Its become a sort of narrative for us and my daughter will say, "Its like where the mountain meets the moon"

One of the best children's books I've read. Sweet, adventurous, interesting, and meaningful. I read a lot to my 8 year old son and I usually edit out foul language (stupid), scary parts and name calling, etc. This book required very little editing. Like someone else already mentioned, I may have enjoyed it more than him!

My daughter, 6 yr old, received this for Christmas and it was a great book. We both enjoyed this book and took turns reading it. All of the characters and events in this book is tied together and the author really captures the imagine and creates a picture; you can't wait to read what happens next. Wish she had written more of these chapter books! This is a fairytale in some ways but very enjoyable.

We just finished listening to the audio version of this book read by Janet Song. We all really enjoyed it; my 8 year old especially. I cried at the end, and found the message really inspiring. We plan to look for Grace Lin's other books. She is a wonderful and imaginative writer.

This book is awesome!!!! I didn't think I was going to like it in the beginning but I kept reading because I loved the book... The Year Of The Dog! So once I got a little farther in the book I really got sucked in and could not stop reading it!!

I recommend this book to anybody who likes a little magic and fantasy!

Being the mother of an adopted Chinese daughter I look for books that bring her culture to life. I have always been a fan of Grace Lin so when I saw this book for young readers I knew we had another great read coming. My daughter is 8 and we read this together each evening. She loved it! The story combines wonderful Chinese fairy tales, beautiful illustrations and a gutsy little girl going on a journey of discovery. This book can teach us all what it means to be thankful for what we have and that happiness is usually right under our noses if we but take the time to see.

I like all the strange connections like when Minli found out that the ball on Dragon's head was a dragon's pearl. Also that Dragon might have been one of the Jade Dragon's children.
I would say if you love a good story then you'll love Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

I've never written the store review before bit this book was worth it. As beautifully written as any children's classic, this is a magical tale about friendship, spirit, choices and self-worth. We've read all of Grace Lin's memoirs but this book is her finest. As enchanting for the adult as the child reader...

I picked up this book to use for a project for one of my education courses and loved it! It kept my interest the entire time. It keeps your imagination alive to anticipate what would happen next. Definitely using and having this book in my classroom once I start teaching! Very easy and well written for the elementary age group.

I could not stop reading this book after I started it. The Chinese folklore is beautifully woven in and helps the reader to truly understand that aspect of Chinese culture. There are many lessons taught within the book and is an overall exciting story. Great read and I'd recommend it to anyone.

I felt a strong sense of content after finishing this book. It's beautiful written and illustrated and shows the importance of imagination and family. Please treat yourself to the pleasure of reading this book.

This book ranks up in my top 10 kids' chapter books. Intelligent, emotional, witty and smart with the special magical sauce, we all (10 year old boy, 8 year old boy and 40* mom) loved it. We traveling hand and hand with the character on her journey and believed we helped her to reach her destiny just by bearing witness.

It was the artwork that intially caught my eye and the storyline did not fail my expectations. I LOVE this book! I loved how elements of Chinese mythology and folklore were interwoven into the storyline. a beautiful book. Both physically appealing and emotionally appealing in its thoughtful message about family and what we truly desire. I highly recommend for all ages!

great book. i am 11 (a pretty advanced reader if i can say so my self but think any age would love it. anyone under 9 would enjoy it but not really understand. grace lin wrote a winner! hoped this review helped you agewise.

I have an 11 year old daughter and a 9 year old son ... both children LOVED this book! Rich Chinese tales wrapped around captivating characters has enticed my kids to read this book over and over again!

The stories upon stories within lead you on an incredible journey through the wonders of a little girls imagination. Packed with delightful messages with in, this story is perfect for any reader young or old, unless you lose attention easily, then maybe consider a different book, or TV. There are parts of the book when you won't want to stop, and others that will want to run it away. Get on your dragon and go!

I read this to my kids, boy and a girl, 4 and 6. I thought they might be too young for it, but I went for it anyway. They could not wait each day to find out what happened to Minli!!!

I already lent it to a friend, and she loved it too.

This book is the most beautiful story I've ever read! My girls (6 & 8) and I read it aloud each night before bed and we all LOVED it! It has so many great stories and morals to learn. This is a MUST HAVE for your family's library!!!

i love this book it has so much potential everyone should read it...its my favorite book next to old yeller and island of the blue dolphins its so good it should be made into a movie i just absolutly lllllooooooooooooooooovvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeee it i just luv it!

I just finished reading this book with my son and daughter, 8 & 7. There are many books worth reading to your kids, but I must say that this is perhaps a "MUST READ" when it comes to reading a book to your children. A great story, wonderful imagination, and a lesson on the meaning of life that is crucial for children alive in the world today!

I got this book for my 8 year old that reads above the grade level after seeing so many great reviews.. However, he never seemed to get in to this book. It was to bit difficult for him to understand sometimes unnecessarily long sentence structure that was heavily used. On a personal note I was also surprised that he was bit put off by the Oriental content as well. Obviously, I can't ding the book by its very clear content, but I hoped he would like it giving he loves similar movies, cartoons and books.
After all it turned out to be a book that he doesn't even wanted to see the cover of. Well, that was our experience....

We are reading this book for my daughter's school book club. I am reading the story to my kids since we already came across one scene that involved an attempt at murder. The story line is intriguing and one does not feel like the putting the book down. A must read for all teenagers and adults. I would not recommend it for younger kids.

As I read I am also simplying the story and contexts so my kids can stay focussed on the main character's journey and the value of comprehension they can take from the story without getting lost in details.

My daughter had to read this book for an elementary book club and I ended up reading the book too! It is just a beautiful book about a girl's special journey to find fortune. The book was wonderfully written and eloquently reminded the reader about the things in life that are really important!

We got this book at a birthday party and when my son started reading Chapter 1, his feelings were hurt as when the described Minli as a girl was not "brown" like others in the village, he took it to heart as he is brown. I think the book is not written with diverse colors in mind, although that might not have been the intention of the author but the child thought only kids who have shining hair and rosy cheeks are good. Very sad today that a child's feelings are hurt because of an insensitive book, I cannot imagine what kind of people are giving it such high ratings.

This is the only book I've read by Grace Lin, so I won't make any general pronouncements on her writing ability. I will say, however, that I found "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" rough going because of her writing. Instead of choosing words for grace and clarity of expression, Lin writes: "My parents and aunts and cousins burst into exclamations and wails," or "When the rice was done, the pot was overflowing with snowy white rice" or "Again, Ma said nothing but barely, perhaps only because he was looking for it, she nodded." There are too many such examples to list or even count. I found myself editing her sentences as I read to my son because I didn't want him exposed to such poor sentence structure. And yet, I persisted because the morals in this book are worth repeating and because I want my son to be familiar with the classic Chinese fables I grew up hearing.

The story is interesting, and the illustrations are excellent. The only problem is that the Chinese culture described in the book is very inaccurate. As a Chinese, I am very uncomfortable with her own idea of making the Old Man of the Moon to hold the Book of Destiny, which is well known to be the responsibility of Yan Wang Ye in Chinese culture. There are many other such examples in her story. The story of Da-A-Fu is totally different from the traditional legend. As for the main character Minli. She is actually an American girl dressed in Chinese, and with a Chinese name. In traditional Chinese culture, a child is never encouraged to go for adventure, let alone a girl! Minli even went away without the permission of the parents. This idea is from western culture, not Chinese.

For people who really want to know Chinese culture, please do not read this book. This book is just a fantasy book. If you converse with a Chinese using the information gleaned from this book, you will be considered as someone who is very ignorant about the basic knowledge of the Chinese culture, sad to say.

We had checked out the book from the library and read it together as a family. My 7yr daughter loved it so much she had me order it using her birthday money (she wanted to own the book). The story is very engaging, enough for even a 4yr old to sit and listen. Has that classic Asin story feel, and teaches a lot of good life lessons. I can see us reading this over and over through the years.

We got this book at a birthday party and when my son started reading Chapter 1, his feelings were hurt as when the described Minli as a girl was not "brown" like others in the village, he took it to heart as he is brown. I think the book is not written with diverse colors in mind, although that might not have been the intention of the author but the child thought only kids who have shining hair and rosy cheeks are good. Very sad today that a child's feelings are hurt because of an insensitive book, I cannot imagine what kind of people are giving it such high ratings.

This is the only book I've read by Grace Lin, so I won't make any general pronouncements on her writing ability. I will say, however, that I found "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" rough going because of her writing. Instead of choosing words for grace and clarity of expression, Lin writes: "My parents and aunts and cousins burst into exclamations and wails," or "When the rice was done, the pot was overflowing with snowy white rice" or "Again, Ma said nothing but barely, perhaps only because he was looking for it, she nodded." There are too many such examples to list or even count. I found myself editing her sentences as I read to my son because I didn't want him exposed to such poor sentence structure. And yet, I persisted because the morals in this book are worth repeating and because I want my son to be familiar with the classic Chinese fables I grew up hearing.

The story is interesting, and the illustrations are excellent. The only problem is that the Chinese culture described in the book is very inaccurate. As a Chinese, I am very uncomfortable with her own idea of making the Old Man of the Moon to hold the Book of Destiny, which is well known to be the responsibility of Yan Wang Ye in Chinese culture. There are many other such examples in her story. The story of Da-A-Fu is totally different from the traditional legend. As for the main character Minli. She is actually an American girl dressed in Chinese, and with a Chinese name. In traditional Chinese culture, a child is never encouraged to go for adventure, let alone a girl! Minli even went away without the permission of the parents. This idea is from western culture, not Chinese.

For people who really want to know Chinese culture, please do not read this book. This book is just a fantasy book. If you converse with a Chinese using the information gleaned from this book, you will be considered as someone who is very ignorant about the basic knowledge of the Chinese culture, sad to say.