Book Review for WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin

  Book Review by Allie Davis
MLIS 5653 Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lin, Grace. 20. Where the Mountain  Meets the Moon. New York: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0316038636

Connect with the Author 
http://www.gracelin.com/

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
     Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a wonderful example of author, Grace Lin's well-documented and researched Chinese children's novels. This fantasy book takes us to the Valley of Fruitless Mountain of China, where Minli works with her parents in the rice fields, barely making ends meet.  She dreams of a world somewhere else as her father tells the rich stories of Chinese folklore.  Not coincidentally, Minli's name means "quick thinking," and because of her quick thinking, Minli makes her way out of numerous scrapes that would stump other children her age.  
     Folklore and fairy tales meet in this story that begins with Minli's desire to change the lot of her poverty-stricken family by changing the Valley of Fruitless Mountain to a place that is productive and nourishing.  We hear the tale of how the mountain became barren, how the Jade Dragon's children sacrificed themselves to save the people of earth by becoming rivers; we learn how the Old Man of the Moon binds people together with red string, we and are introduced to magic paintbrushes that bring paintings to life.  Minli's best friend is a dragon who has been brought to life with such a paintbrush.  All of these tales are authentic Chinese tales from Grace Lin's cultural heritage, researched during her time spent in China.  Her photographs were the inspirations for the simple one-color illustrations placed sporadically throughout the novel.  While this story is fantasy in genre, the elements included are meticulously researched and authentic, leaving no room for stereotyping the Chinese culture.  
     Where the Mountain Meets the Moon begins in the Valley of Fruitless Mountain, and it ends there also.  However, Minli's adventures take her to many places during her travels to find the Man in the Moon.  She has heard that the Man in the Moon can answer her question about how to change her family's fate, and she sets out one evening to find him.  During her adventures, she meets her dragon friend, monkeys (whom she outwits), a talking fish, the Chinese emperor himself, a green tiger, and many other characters from Chinese cultural history.  It is only near the end of her journey that she realizes she already has what she is looking for, a loving family, which is more important to her than any earthly treasures.  It is in that moment of realization that she chooses to help her friend, the dragon, by asking the Man in the Moon why the dragon cannot fly.  Unwittingly, in asking this question, she changes the fate of her own family.  Lin magnificently weaves many pieces of the folktales and stories together, leading the novel to its resolution and bringing Minli back home to her patiently waiting parents who have reconciled with each other in her absence, another theme that has developed during the course of the story.  
       As previously mentioned, many aspects of the Chinese folktales and culture are presented as the story unfolds.  Many of these elements were also touched on in other Asian cultural books talked about in previous blogs--the magic paintbrush and the moon people, for example.  These cultural stories become the most relevant part other than items that might be considered stereotypical such as the rice fields and koi goldfish.  No part of the book is written in Chinese, due in part, I think, to the difficulty of including calligraphic words alongside the English text.  However, enough other Chinese information is included for the reader to know and understand that the novel is Chinese in nature.  The dragon symbol is defined in text (only to be used by a king),  the pillows used to sleep and sit on in many Chinese homes are described, and the peach trees that China is so well-known for are used to illustrate the consequences of greed.  
       Overall, the novel is a fantastic journey through the maturing of a young girl, and the book ends with Minli being rewarded for her lack of selfishness.  Her mother finds out that riches are not really what she wants in life; rather, she wants her daughter.  Her parents are brought back together after many years of emotional separation when they almost lose Minli, but in the end, they realize that "fortune was not a house full of gold and jade, but something much more.  Something she already had and did not need to change. 'I didn't ask the question...because I don't need to know they answer'" (259).  

AWARDS  

• Newbery Honor Book (Recieved award in 2010)
• Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature (Received award in 2010)
• Young Hoosier Book Award (Nominated for an award in 2011)
• Rhode Island Children's Book Award (Nominated for an award in 2011)
• Young Reader's Choice Award (Nominated for an award in 2012)
• Sunshine State Young Reader's Book Award (Nominated for an award in 2011
• Georgia Children's Book Award (Nominated for an award in 2011)
• Maine Student Book Award (Nominated for an award in 2010)
• North Carolina Children's Book Award (Nominated for an award in 2011)
• California Young Reader Medal (Nominated for an award in 2012)
• Nutmeg Children's Book Award (Nominated for an award in 2012)
• Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award (Nominated for an award in 2012)
• Iowa Children's Choice Award (Nominated for an award in 2012)
• Nene Award (Nominated for an award in 2014)
• Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Award (Nominated for an Award in 2014)
• A New York Times bestseller
• A Today show Al's Book Club for Kids pick
• A Booklist Top 10 Science Fiction/Fantasy for Youth Book

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

• Booklist, "Starred Review* In this enchanted and enchanting adventure, Minli, whose name means quick thinking, lives with her desperately poor parents at the confluence of Fruitless Mountain and the Jade River. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. One day, after a goldfish salesman promises that his wares will bring good luck, Minli spends one of her only two coins in an effort to help her family. After her mother ridicules what she believes to be a foolish purchase, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, who, it is told, may impart the true secret to good fortune. Along the way, she finds excitement, danger, humor, magic, and wisdom, and she befriends a flightless dragon, a talking fish, and other companions and helpmates in her quest. With beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical land. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative..." (C) May 1, 2009
• Horn Book Magazine, "...The story's many elements are entwined, neatly symbolized by the intricately tangled red threads of destiny that, as Minli discovers, are overseen by the Old Man of the Moon. The book's format reflects this interconnectedness: interspersed with the main text are folktales explaining past events or stories allowing characters to relate their experiences..." (C) 2010
• School Library Journal, "...Taking a string of destiny and a page from the Book of Fortune to Never-Ending Mountain, Minli makes a kite which becomes a bridge that only she can cross. Allowed just one question, she asks why Dragon cannot fly. When she takes away the gray stone on top of Dragon's head, he flies. Jade Dragon is reunited with one of her children, the mountain becomes lush green, and Jade River becomes clear...."(C) July 1, 2010

CONNECTIONS

Use as an introduction to traditional Chinese folktales; fantasy/magic; fairy tales; dragons; moon; Chinese imperialism; and rice farming. 

http://www.storyboardthat.com/teacher-guide/where-the-mountain-meets-the-moon-by-grace-lin
http://www.gracelin.com/content.php?page=wherethemountainmeetsthemoon&display=activities
https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=15867

Other Grace Lin titles to read:

• When the Sea Turned Silver  ISBN 0316125970
• Starry River of the Sky  ISBN 0316125970
• Rhe Year of the Dog  ISBN 031606002X

Gather other Newbery Honor Books:

·       Hale, Shannon. The Princess Academy ISBN 161963131

·       Preus, Margi. Heart of the Samurai ISBN 1419702009
·       Farmer, Nancy. The House of the Scorpion ISBN 0689852231