Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon, who knows the answers to all of life's questions. Inspired by these stories, Minli sets off on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon to ask him how she can change her family's fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest for the ultimate answer.

This is a wonderous novel with an epic journey and memorable characters in the tradition of The Wizard of Oz. From the beautiful design and the breathtaking full-color illustrations throughout, to the gentle humor and touching prose, this book is truly a gem.

Book Reviews
Kirkus Review: "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. "

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/grace-lin/where-the-mountain-meets-the-moon/

Elizabeth Bird: "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."

http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2009/11/21/review-of-the-day-where-the-mountain-meets-the-moon-by-grace-lin/

Activities
Here are some discussion questions that ask you to explore the world of Chinese folktales and traditional stories.

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/_assets/guides/EG_9780316114271.pdf

Other Links
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iM8NWGrAHtA

Grace Lin on The Today Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3nYTr9jKgI