Where the Mountain Meets the Moon facts for kids
First edition, with Newbery seal
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| Author | Grace Lin |
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| Illustrator | Grace Lin |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's fantasy |
| Publisher | Little, Brown and Company |
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Publication date
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2009 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 278 |
| Awards |
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| ISBN | 9780316114271 |
| OCLC | 672213061 |
| Followed by | Starry River of the Sky |
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is an exciting fantasy and adventure novel for children. It takes inspiration from amazing Chinese folk tales. The talented author and illustrator, Grace Lin, created this book, which was first published in 2009. This wonderful story earned a 2010 Newbery Honor, which is a special award for children's literature. It also won the 2010 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature. People all over the world love this book, and it has been translated into many languages, including Chinese, French, Hebrew, Romanian, Korean, and Slovene.
The Journey Begins
Minli's Village and a Special Wish
In a small, poor village called Fruitless Mountain, a brave ten-year-old girl named Minli lives. This village is near a bare mountain and the beautiful Jade River. Minli loves adventure and is always curious. Her favorite part of the day is listening to her father, Ba, tell amazing stories during dinner.
Minli's mother, Ma, doesn't like these stories. She thinks they are just "nonsense" and worries a lot about their family's poverty. The villagers are very poor because it's hard to grow food in their dry land. They believe Fruitless Mountain is the broken heart of the Jade Dragon, who once brought rain to the Earth. Minli often wishes for good luck and a better life for her family.
A Talking Goldfish and a Big Decision
One day, Minli uses her small amount of money to buy a goldfish. Her mother is not happy about this. This isn't just any goldfish; it can talk! When Minli decides to release the goldfish to make her mother feel better, the fish shares a secret. It tells Minli about the Old Man of the Moon, a very wise person who lives on Never-Ending Mountain. The goldfish says he can tell Minli how to bring good fortune to her family and village.
The next day, Minli bravely leaves her village to find this wise man. Her parents come home to find her gone and are very worried. They try to follow her, but the goldfish seller tells them to trust Minli. Meanwhile, Minli rests in the forest. She wakes up to find a dragon trapped and helps him escape. They become fast friends! The Dragon offers to carry Minli on her journey, even though he can't fly like other dragons. He also shares that he came to life from a painting when his eyes were drawn.
New Friends and Important Clues
Minli and Dragon face many challenges on their journey. They meet some tricky monkeys, but Minli cleverly outsmarts them to continue. They arrive at the City of Bright Moonlight. Minli leaves Dragon safely in a cave and finds shelter with a kind boy. This boy, though poor, helps Minli find the city's king. The king has a special "borrowed line" of text, which is a clue needed to find the Old Man of the Moon.
Minli meets the king, and he generously gives her the borrowed line. It turns out to be a page from the legendary Book of Fortune, a magical book that only immortal beings can read. Outside the city, Dragon also finds a "red string of destiny." This string is said to connect people who are meant to meet. Dragon thinks this string might be the important clue. Minli and Dragon reunite, share their adventures, and continue their journey, wondering which clue is the correct one.
A Mother's Realization
Back in Fruitless Mountain, Minli's parents, Ba and Ma, decide to go home and wait for her. During this time, Ma starts to feel sad about her past unhappiness. She realizes that her true treasure was always her daughter, Minli, and that she should have been more grateful for what she had.
Danger and New Helpers
Minli and Dragon face a dangerous Green Tiger. Dragon bravely protects Minli but gets badly hurt by the tiger's poison. He almost doesn't survive. Luckily, twin children from a nearby village cleverly trick the Green Tiger into falling down an old well. Minli quickly seeks help in their village, called Moon Rain.
The twins' grandfather, A-Gong, gives Dragon special medicine in the form of tea, which helps him. The next day, the twins guide Minli and Dragon towards Never-Ending Mountain, which is now only a day away. The twins explain that their village gets its name because magical seeds fall from the moon every night. These seeds grow into beautiful flowering trees, and their blossoms are the antidote that saved Dragon from the poison.
The Old Man of the Moon and a Great Reward
Finally, Minli and Dragon reach Never-Ending Mountain. Using both the borrowed line of text and the red string of destiny, they create a magical kite that forms a bridge. Minli crosses it alone to meet the Old Man of the Moon. He tells her she can only ask one question.
After thinking carefully, Minli decides to ask Dragon's question instead of her own: "Why can't Dragon fly?" The wise old man tells her to remove a rock from Dragon's head. Minli does this, and instantly, Dragon can fly! They joyfully fly back to Minli's village together. The "rock" turns out to be the legendary Dragon's Pearl, which brings great wealth and good fortune to her village.
The Jade Dragon, a powerful mythical creature, is reunited with her child, Dragon. This reunion transforms Fruitless Mountain into Fruitful Mountain, a place of abundance. Because Minli chose to help her friend, Dragon, before herself, she and her family receive all the happiness and prosperity they ever wished for.
More Adventures by Grace Lin
Grace Lin has written more stories that take place in the same magical world as Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.
Companion Books
A companion book, called Starry River of the Sky, was released on February 11, 2014. This book shares another wonderful tale. Another book, When the Sea Turned to Silver, was announced by Grace Lin on August 20, 2015. It was published on October 4, 2016, continuing the enchanting stories.
Bringing the Story to Life
Stage Plays and Musicals
The amazing story of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon has also been brought to the stage! A play based on the book was performed at the Wheelock Family Theater in Boston in April 2014. Caroline Workman played Minli, and Michael Tow took on the roles of the Storyteller and Minli's father, Ba. Jane Staab directed this production. A musical version, created by Min Kahng, was performed by the San Diego Junior Theater in 2026. It brought the songs and magic of Minli's journey to the audience.
