This book was a fantastic! I loved the fantasy and Chinese folklore throughout ( )

This was one of my favorite books when I was younger. I remember reading it when I was in middle school. The novel received a 2010 Newberry Honor and the 2010 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature. The character of the book is named Minli she hears her father tell her stories about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli believes these stories and embarks on a journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune ( )

This is a beautiful book of a young girl's journey to find happiness and fortune for her family. It is a gentle, magical read, a great read aloud choice for younger children too. I enjoyed the story layers and the sweet generosity of Minli. The pictures and illustrations add to the magic of the whole book. ( )

This was even better than I remembered! I love the message and all the stories. ( )

A wonderfully inventive, beautifully told tale that is both modern in its sensibilities (Minli, our hero, is an adventurous and brave young girl) and ancient in its origins (at the end of the book author Lin gives us a bibliography of the Chinese folktales that inspired her). The writing is spare and graceful, the characters memorable (I loved the Dragon and the happy red-cheeked twins), the illustrations evocative. I think this is a Newbery contender. ( )

I'm a sucker for books that weave in mythology, so I adored this story of a young girl who goes to seek the Old Man of the Moon to learn how to change her family's fortunes.

The thing I like the most about this book are the tales interspersed within the larger narrative. Because they are true to the spirit of traditional folklore, they add another dimension to the story. ( )

74
Novel 8

This book is so beautiful in every way ☆☆

I loved this little gem. It felt to my untrained ear like a feeling of Chinese folktales with a nod toward the American audience. A lovely message as well! ( )

3.75/5 ( )

Grace Lin created a beautiful fairy tale world in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, a world where statues and paintings come to life, goldfish give good advice and a little girl goes on a quest with a dragon. In this book, everyone loves a good story, and they tell a lot of them. In the epilogue, the author talks about the Chinese fairy tales that inspired the book and the stories within the story.
I listened to most of it on audio so I missed out on the majority of Lin's illustrations, which are pretty cool. The audio version was OK but didn't knock my socks off.
This was the first book I read by this author and I look forward to reading more.
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At first I was a bit skeptical, but it quickly turned into a fantastic book. Some books are simply so clearly Newbery material -- this is one of them. ( )

Read aloud as family and loved the stories within the stories. Was a very captivating story and much to discuss as a family. Beautiful book that we were all eager to hear what happens next. ( )

I really did not enjoy this book, sorry to say. It was boring at times, and extremly confusing in others. Maybe it would be better for adults, but I thought it not a very good book, or for kids. ( )

Fantastic book! Stories within stories, fables/parables/folklore, whatever you wish to call it, all with a great and obvious lesson learned by all characters. Would be a wonderful read aloud by parents and teachers. I want to hear it in audio, and I am not that type at all. Already recommended it to two friends directly after reading. Will be reading more from this author! Very well done. ( )

"To change her family’s fortunes, a poor Chinese girl embarks on a fantastical quest to discover she already has everything she needs to be happy. Minli and her parents live in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, where they toil endlessly. Bitter and resentful, Minli’s mother complains when her husband fills Minli’s imagination with enchanting tales of Never-Ending Mountain and the Old Man of the Moon. “Eager for adventure,” Minli sets out alone seeking advice from the Old Man of the Moon. En route she befriends a dragon who joins her quest. Together they encounter a talking goldfish, a boy with a buffalo, a king, a fierce green tiger and laughing twins before scaling Never-Ending Mountain. Lin deftly incorporates elements from Chinese folk- and fairy tales to create stories within the main story and provide context for Minli’s quest. With her “lively and impulsive spirit,” Minli emerges a stalwart female role model who learns the importance of family, friendship and faith during her amazing journey. Richly hued illustrations reinforce the Chinese folk theme. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 8-12)" www.kirkusreviews.com, A Kirkus Starred Review

Great read-aloud with a kindergartener. ( )

Minli, the only child of a poor family in a poor village, undertakes a journey to better their lives based upon stories told by her father. The stories are featured as insets and are charming in themselves and how they build on Minli's hero's journey, which is fairly straight forward, but the unusual counterpoint is the changes her parents experience when they fail to catch up with her after they find she's gone. Ya gotta love the goldfish with ambitions! And the illustrations! ( )

Grades 4-8
John Newberry Medal 1922-2021
Mythopoeic Fantasy Award 1971-2020
Notable Children's Books In The Language Arts Awards 1997-2021

Lovely middle grade book about a young girl who senses her mother's unhappiness at their poor living conditions and, inspired by her father's fantastical stories, sets out to find the Man in the Moon to ask if he'll change their fates for the better. Gorgeous writing and an inventive, folktale-style story. ( )

In this fantasy story inspired by Chinese folklore, Minli hopes to bring prosperity to her valley and begins a magical journey in search of the Old Man of the Moon who can answer her questions.

A girl from a poor village sets out to find her fortune. Lin takes the basics of some Chinese fables, adds her own imagination, and comes up with a rather more modern folk tale. I'm a sucker for hero journeys with female protagonists, so the book had me in the first few lines.

Nit-picks: I didn't love that the mother was so graspy in the beginning: I get that the character growth was needed to pull the story along but I find that version of female greed grating. ( )

Chinese girl leaves home in quest to help her parents live a batter life. Along the way, her selflessness and commitment to helping others pays great dividends as she brings prosperity back to her village and parents. Well written, with stories interwoven plus some beautiful illustrations. ( )

antasy-adventure children's novel inspired by Chinese folklore. ( )