Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, reviewed by K. Bird Lincoln
4 of 5 stars
I had great expectations of this book when I started reading it after I found out it won a Newbery (Honor).
Yes, I can see it's Newbery material. The many old folktales woven into the narrative of how Minli leaves her parents and village and journeys to find the Old Man of the Moon are educationally delicious. Minli herself seems wise and naive at the same time, the perfect character to help a dragon, meet a weaving goddess, and finally sacrifice her own desires to help a friend.
The gorgeous illustrations were just ornate enough to feel Chinese while still retaining a flavor of childhood.
And yet...beyond the folktales, there wasn't much new or twisty in this story to keep me drawn into the narrative. While deftly done, a girl's- journey-to-discover-what-riches-truly-are didn't tug at any heartstrings for me.
Still, for an introduction to Chinese folktale culture, it's perfect to put in the hands of any grade-school aged person.
This Book's Food Designation Rating: Steamed BBQ Pork Buns because of the slight blandness of the bun part in contrast to the meaty inside.
