“Where the Mountain Meets the Moon” by Grace Lin
My 7 year old and I just finished reading this wonderful chapter book as a read-aloud. This is the story of Minli, a young girl in China (not modern day although I don’t know the time frame exactly, which was purposeful on the part of the author). Minli is an adventurous protagonist with a big heart. She ventures off to change her family’s fortune, as they are poor and her mother is unhappy.
Minli meets a talking goldfish, a friendly dragon, and many other great and magical characters on her journey to speak to the Old Man of the Moon, who she believes holds the key to changing her family’s fortune. The story is laced with fables and tales that all turn out to have some truth to them, which just adds to the magic you feel while reading.
The chapters are short, which is great for younger readers. Grace Lin has a smooth and detailed style of writing, but she doesn’t overwhelm her younger readers with too much information. Any aged child would probably find this book worth reading!
At the end of the book, there is a series of comprehensive questions which can be especially useful for homeschool students, although any kids would benefit from discussing the main points of the story.
I especially appreciated the main moral of the story, which has to do with gratitude and being thankful for all that you have, no matter how much or how little that is. This book is a great jumping off point to talk about this concept with your children!
I hope everyone has a relaxing, warm and cozy Saturday!
three wild roses 