Editors note: This review is the first in a series that showcases the work of authors of color.
A story entwined within a story, in a world where the tales of Jade Dragon and the Old Man on the Moon may not just be myths. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is about a girl on a journey to change her family’s fortune. This beautiful and heartwarming novel won a Newbery Honor in 2010. Grace Lin’s rich, interwoven world of magic and myth, accompanied by her glowing illustrations, makes this book both compelling and entertaining.
Jacket Description:
“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 on 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 on 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.”
Reading Level: 8+ years
Age Range: 6+ years
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy Fiction
Length: 278 pages
Awards: Newbery Honor, Mythopoeic Fantasy Award
Grace Lin’s Bio (excerpt from Grace Lin’s website):
“Before Grace Lin was an award-winning and NY Times bestselling author/illustrator of picturebooks, early readers and middle grade novels, she was the only Asian girl (except for her sisters) going to her elementary school in Upstate NY. That experience, good and bad, has influenced her books—including her Newbery Honor Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, her Geisel Honor Ling & Ting, her National Book Finalist When the Sea Turned to Silver and her Caldecott Honor A Big Mooncake for Little Star. But, it also causes Grace to persevere for diversity as an occasional New England Public Radio commentator and when she gave her TEDx talk “The Windows and Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf,” as well as her PBSNewHour video essay “What to do when you realize classic books from your childhood are racist?.” She continued this mission with a hundred episodes of the podcast kidlitwomen and now currently hosts two other podcasts: Book Friends Forever and Kids Ask Authors. In 2016, Grace’s art was displayed at the White House and Grace, herself, was recognized by President Obama’s office as a Champion of Change for Asian American and Pacific Islander Art and Storytelling.”
Grace Lin can also be found on her Instagram: @pacylin
The Lighthouse 