Already a member? A Newbery Honor book in 2010, this novel moves on from the ordinary lives of Asian Americans in her other books to a fantastical adventure in a timeless, traditional China. She returns to Dragon and, following the Old Mans instructions, helps him pull a big, heavy bump off the top of his head. Use evidence from the text to argue who is the most generous character in the book. The main character, Minli, is a young Chinese girl scraping by with her poor parents in the village at the base of Fruitless Mountain. They identify the friends and mentors who helped her, and the character traits that led to her success. I think it is good for many different ages, from 7-year-olds to 12-year-olds. He indulges Minli with numerous Chinese folktales including stories about the Old Man of the Moon and the Never Ending Mountain. She said there will be a movie released on 11/21/2020, however the movie was never made. Minli is a strong-willed, young Chinese girl who lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain. 4 Mar. Under house have students brainstorm as many words as they can for house: mansion, shack, apartment, rancher, hut, etc. When Minli finds Dragon, it cant fly and is caught up in some ropes. Along the way, Minli meets a special friend. size). Chapter 1 Summary. After each assignment, review the journal questions in a class discussion or individual reading group discussions. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Which characters in the book prove to be true friends? Written by people who wish to remain anonymous Where the Mountain Meets the Moon tells of a classic journey with a young duo, Minli and Dragon, working to find their way to the mountain that leads to the moon. Use vivid language to construct their own personal narrative. Have students tell the story of their challenge and how they met it. My mom and I first read it as part of my Sonlight curriculum and we loved it. Frightened for her new-found friend, Minli goes for help and finds two twins: A-Fu and Da-Fu. With her lively and impulsive spirit, Minli emerges a stalwart female role model who learns the importance of family, friendship and faith during her amazing journey. As you read, take notes on the characters by answering the questions. The line written there has changed again. Grades 3-6. 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.This is a wonderous novel with an epic journey and memorable characters in the tradition of The Wizard of Oz. "[6], Andrew Medlar from Booklist said: "Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine & mystical land [] children will embrace this [] story"[6], A companion, titled Starry River of the Sky, was published on February 11, 2014. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. Get Started This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. My teacher said she was really surprised and she told me how she felt about my pet. Meanwhile, Minli sleeps for the night in the forest, only to wake up to find a trapped dragon, which she saves. You may wish to use these tales for additional literature or composition study. Minli's mother is very dissatisfied with the family's situation. The goldfish man says that Minli, too, may be able to change her fortune. Grace Lin introduces Minli, the main character well, as a girl who wants to change their fortune when her mom repeatedly talks about how poor they are. In a poignant essay entitled Why Couldnt Snow White Be Chinese? Lin discusses her sense of otherness and states that as a child, she found her dual identity to be a burden. It was a boring day, and I tried to figure out what to do. Grace went on a blog tour for her book. However, that is far from the end of this intricate tale. As a pre-activity, ask students to list the challenges Minli had to face (for example: living in poverty; being threatened by the monkeys; overcoming her fear to climb the bridge of string). Common Sense Media. At the onset of the quest, she meets Dragon. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. Now the woman can see that she had fortune all along, but that she lost it when she lost her daughter. Are all your sentences complete and correctly written? Ma blames Ba, saying that his stories put foolish ideas in Minlis head. One day, after a goldfish salesman promises that his wares will bring good luck, Minli spends one of her only two coins in an effort to help her family. Da-Fu and A-Fu lead Minli to Never-Ending Mountain, where the Old Man of the Moon is said to live. This character came to life from the magic ink by which it was painted and flew away. I brought my pet into school. Explain what you mean by each value and show how it is illustrated in one of the embedded folk tales. Meanwhile, at the Village of Fruitless Mountain, Ba and Ma have decided to return home and wait for Minli, and during this time, Ma feels remorse for having been so discontent when she already had her own precious treasure: her daughter. Suggested techniques: If students are interested in folktales in general, the. Order our Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Study Guide, teaching or studying Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. My father came down the stairs and asked what I was doing down there. Summarize this character Subjects: English Language Arts, Reading, Vocabulary Grades: Not Grade Specific Types: If you read Where The Mountain Meets The Moon, you wouldn't be disappointed because it is an incredible book. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON is a fantasy-fiction story where Chinese Folklore is engraved throughout the story. A set of twins from the village manage to trick the Green Tiger down an abandoned well and the next day take Minli and Dragon to Never-Ending Mountain, which turns out to be only a day's journey from the village. Write the word challenge on the board and ask students to define it. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" Grace Lin CHARACTER TRAITS WORKSHEET by Northeast Education $1.50 PDF CHOOSE A CHARACTER1. (Teachers do not have to assign all the stories.). In August 2015, Lin revealed that the film rights for the book had been bought. [11], Renee Greenfield and Jennifer Rabold. Let students investigate online resources for folktales from China. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Part 2. Determined to change her familys fortune, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, urged on by a talking goldfish who gives her clues to complete her journey. In the evenings, her father regales her with old folktales of the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon, who knows the answers to all of lifes questions. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. He takes Minli there, and she tries to give him the one copper coin she has left. . Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. When this story is finished, Minli asks to hear another, but Ba refuses, not wanting to displease Ma. A-Fu and Da-Fu, twins who are a bit younger than Minli, explain that a vicious magistrate once planned to kill the whole family out of jealousy over their happiness. Minli's mother, Ma, instead despises the stories that Ba tells, feeling that they are simply "nonsense." Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a wonderfully crafted tale with great messages on gratefulness, contentedness, self-sacrifice, faith and love. The principal told me that was not a good idea. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. She looks up to her father, the optimist, and clashes with her mother, the cynic. When they reach their destination, Minli and Dragon are devastated to discover they cannot climb it. Create a character map for the major characters. Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Ma and Ba say that Minli is too little to do such a thing. The new book was published on October 4, 2016. Design a costume for the character. However, when a few people complained that they preferred sunshine, Jade Dragon grew angry. Plus, there is barely enough rice to feed the people there, causing Minli to develop a wish for good fortune. Collect the second worksheets for assessment purposes when they have finished. Grace Lins website includes a number of essays that could meet nonfiction reading requirements while giving students more insight into her motivation, inspiration, and writing process. Create a character map of the characters in the story. Despite her mothers disapproval of stories and dreaming, Minli gathers her courage, her resourcefulness, and her openness to new people and places, to take a remarkable journey to accomplish the impossible. How Do I Protect My Young Child from Cyberbullying? Choose a character to represent each of the literary characters. Have students read with the method and at the pace you find best for your class. The depth of Minlis affection for Dragon is put to the test, as is her loyalty to her family. This character was a cruel ruler of the land in which all the main landmarks (save the moon) were located over a century ago. everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. It turns out the goldfish can talk when people want to hear it. [Ripping a page from the Book of Fortune will not change one's fate.] Dragon also reveals that he was born from a painting and came to life when his eyes were painted. This book, a celebration of the importance of imagination and story, introduces upper elementary students to Chinese culture and tradition. What words do you think make the description colorful? Numerous collections of Chinese folktales can also be accessed through the library. The second date is today's Together, they live in a small stick hut in a bleak, dry farming village at the intersection of the . If you read Where The Mountain Meets The Moon, you wouldn't be disappointed because it is an incredible book. She notices that he is wearing a piece of golden dragon jewelry, and she follows him. Perfect for Moon Festival celebrations or Mother-Daughter Book Clubs, this kit provides an invite, posters and instructions for the journey-like game. Read more than you ever thought you wanted to know about the backstory of the book! Activity 2, Key Scenes: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, follow the directions at the beginning of Day 2. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2009. . . When Minlis parents discover that she is missing, they run after her. Her grief at losing her children made Fruitless Mountain barren of growth. Distribute copies of Worksheet 2. Assign students the task of thinking of a time when they had a challenge to meet. How does this character change over time? Those eye-opening visits made the folk tales and fairy tales her mother had shared with her as a child seem more alive. Trying to come to terms with her own identity, she searched for and treasured books that featured Asian American characters, even when their portrayal was oversimplified or stereotyped. Minli watches him go, feeling puzzled that he is so happy. Personification is a literary device that give human traits to nonhuman objects. Word Count: 2124. Both Minli and Dragon have unique character traits and well-thought character development. Spurrier, Leslie. The following day, Minli then sets out, freeing the goldfish so as not to burden her parents further, and leaves the village to find "the old man of the moon". Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Buy It Now In the valley of Fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli lives in a ramshackle hut with her parents. Reunited with her son, Jade Dragon transforms Fruitless Mountain into Fruitful Mountain, allowing it to grow again. The rock that Minli removed from Dragons head turns out to be the coveted Dragon Pearl. [Optional activity: Show them the first 1:40 minutes of Al Rokers interview with Grace Lin in which she covers much of the same material. Together, the two fly back to Minlis village, so she can return to her parents. ", Grace Lin, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. In the morning, she sneaks out of the house and releases the fish into the river. Suddenly understanding what she needs to do, Minli asks the Old Man why Dragon cannot fly. What do you think is the secret of happiness? Also there are many villages. Essay Topics. Dragon cannot fly. Chinese Lesson (write the Chinese characters for mountain and moon) An editor Then, my mind suddenly shouted, How about that book from the library? I bolted to get the book and started to read. The objective of her quest is to find the Old Man of the Moon who possesses the power to change a persons fortune. This first activity introduces the book and requires students to read it and keep a journal. Minli realizes she has to go on alone, but before she leaves, she promises to ask Dragons question for him. Photo: Alan Bradley, courtesy ofgracelin.com. Minli wishes to change her family's fortune but realizes over time that her discontent is the major factor causing her to lament her family's fortune. Through their cunning, they trick Green Tiger into falling down a well. They keep journals to record the challenges Minli faced, and how she met the challenges. He speaks to a stone statue of a lion, who explains that he is the Guardian of the city. (If the class has already studied the concept, teachers may want to point out that this is an excellent example of a. She refused to let it rain anymore, thus leaving the people of the earth to suffer and starve. He resolved to kill them for this impertinence, but when he and his army arrived at their house, they had mysteriously disappeared. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Eventually she decides to run off on a quest to change her family's fortune. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young listeners. As their quest continues, Minli and Dragon face the vicious Green Tiger, who is the On their way towards the mountain, Dragon and Minli encounter the evil Green Tiger, the reawakened spirit of Magistrate Tiger. Have them copy each days assignment into their notebooks; Make a photocopy of Worksheet 1 for each student and cut off a strip for each daily assignment for students to paste at the top of the notebook page; Cut off each assignment strip and paste it onto a sheet of lined paper. It is not too scary. Tell them the novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is like the picture frame, with one main frame story holding many other stories within it. She ultimately meets the king, and he willingly gives up the borrowed line, which is revealed to be a page from the Book of Fortune, a legendary book that tells of fates and can be read only by immortal folk. Richly hued illustrations reinforce the Chinese folk theme. The Old Man instructs Minli to remove a rock on Dragons head it has been keeping Dragon from flight. Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. Minli's restlessness is her central conflicted character trait. publication in traditional print.

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