If you are the least bit interested in Chinese folktales and mythology, or if you want to introduce them to Western children (as a starting point), then you should definitely check this book out.
'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon' is such a breathtaking, sweet, enchanting, clever and cute read. It has simple yet practically perfect prose and choice of words, accompanied by gorgeous illustrations. I whizzed through it like a dragon in the sky.
It is a girl-in-supernatural-world-goes-on-journey story, similar to a Chinese 'Wizard of Oz' and 'Alice in Wonderland'. However there are noteworthy differences that make it stand out.
The setting is wonderful, with mountains, rivers, waterfalls, the City of Bright Moonlight, and the Village of Moon Rain. There are peach-loving monkeys, a buffalo boy, a poisonous green tiger, talking fish and lion statues, a talking rabbit, pearls, red threads of destiny, mysterious river dragons, and an Old Man of the Moon.
The protagonist, Minli, is hard not to love. She is kind, naive but determined, resourceful, and grows more unselfish on her journey to find the Old Man of the Moon so he'll change her poor family's fortune. She loves the stories her father tells her in between working on the Fruitless Mountain where they live. She knows stories exist to tell important morals and lift society's spirits (and so should her mother, and we, the readers), and even when life becomes almost unbearable, she always jumps back on her feet when she sees a new opportunity to change her humdrum life.
In Minli's travels she encounters new friends and retrieves magical relics, like in a video game. She's adorable.
And unlike other girl-in-magical-world stories, where the girl's parents are either dead or are just not involved in their child's life for the sake of convenience, Minli's parents are present and feature a lot in the book. They go out looking for their daughter after she leaves home, and then they go back and wait, trusting her to return to them someday (persuaded by a goldfish man no less). They grieve all the time she is gone, and even tell stories to put their minds at rest. It is absolutely relieving and heart-wrenching when the family is back together in the end; so touching and real.
Family importance and being grateful for what you have are the themes in the book, and it is executed from the heart.
'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon' contains colourful and imaginative imagery of the moon, the clothing and the mystical landscapes of fairy tale Asia. The characters are equally lovable and lush. The action is simple but urgent: no element in this book is boring or dragging. And the plotting and themes are so seamlessly interwoven - along with the stories-of-times-past sections - it is almost scary.
Make no mistake, Grace Lin has put much work into perfecting this tale, and that it can be read to children at bedtime makes it even more special. Really, I can't think of a single legit flaw in it.
I have not thought much about Chinese folklore before reading 'Where the Mountain Meets the Moon', but now consider my interest peaked. Funny, touching, graceful, hugely creative, simple yet complex, and truly whimsical with great morals, I thank Grace Lin for bringing this story (and its illustrations) into our cynical world. It is a quick read that can be finished in one day.
I think more people need to know about this book. And if you are still not convinced of its charm and beauty, here is this passage:
'"Don't cry," Minli said, patting the dragon, feeling more sorry for it than ever. "I'm going to Never-Ending Mountain to see the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how to change my family's fortune. You can come too and ask him how to fly."
"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."' (p-48-49)
Final Score: 5/5
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