Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin may seem an intimidating book to some readers. It’s quite thick, with 278 pages. However, the words are large, the chapters are short and the illustrations are beautiful.
Lin tells the story of Minli, a girl growing up in the shadow of the Fruitless Mountain. Life is hard for her and her parents, and the monotony of life is only broken by the delightful tales her father tells her after dinner each night.
Minli enjoys life, but realizes her mother isn’t happy. One day she decides to seek the Old Man in the Moon, and ask how she can change their fortune. On her journey, she befriends a dragon, has many adventures, and eventually does reach the Old Man in the Moon.
Lin weaves many tales throughout the book, and each seem to be intertwined with the other – and with the plot of the book. It’s a delicately woven story which will delight all readers. My favorite part was the “Behind the Story” section in the back of the book, where Lin shares photos and inspirations for her story.
Adults can read this aloud to children as young as kindergarten. Recommended independent reading level: 4th-grade and up.
Cultivating Readers 