Mountain Meets the Moon . As they work, hold writing conferences with individual students in need of assistance. The next day she finds a stream, but it is salty. Use your hands and roll the dough into small balls (about 1 tsp. She's dutiful, empathetic, curious, and resourceful. Reunited with her son, Jade Dragon transforms Fruitless Mountain into Fruitful Mountain, allowing it to grow again. By a bare mountain, where the Jade River runs through, lies a poor, mud-covered village known as the Village of Fruitless Mountain, where the protagonist, Minli lives. It is late at night when Minli tiptoes into her familys hut and crawls into bed. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. The boy finds out that the king is supposed to appear in the Market of Green Abundance. She realizes that her family cannot afford to feed a pet. They travel all through the night, searching. After learning about the concept of the frame story, pairs of students take one of the folktales to analyze and then illustrate a key scene from it. Remind them that to be a narrative, a story must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. She describes a poor woman who was blessed with loving husband and a beautiful, happy daughter. Have students write a paragraph or more using the following prompt: Your values are your principles, the things that you hold to be important in life. (for grades 3-6), 2010 Newbery Honor NY Times Bestseller (Feb 4th, March 14th 2010) IndieBound Bestseller 2010 Bank Street College of Education Josette Frank Award 2010 Indies Choice Book Awards Finalist For Middle Reader Book of the Year Al Rokers TODAY Show Kids Book Club Pick, December 2009 2010 Mythopeic Fantasy Award for Childrens Literature Starred Kirkus Review Starred School & Library Journal Review Starred Booklist Review Booklist Top 10 SF/Fantasy for Youth:2009 2009 Parents Choice Gold Winner 2010 CCBC Choices List 2010 EB White Read-Aloud Honor Book 2010 Massachusetts Book Award for Childrens/Young Adult Literature, I dont think that, in the fourteen years I have worked as a childrens bookseller and the 16 years I have been a mother buying books for her children, I have ever seen such a magnificently illustrated, beautiful gem of a book hit the shelves. Tanya from Books4yourkids.com, This is a flawless little gem of a book, written in a straightforward, warm tone that always has a hint of a smile in itThere is a lovely sense of satisfaction as one link after another is connected, until the entire shape of the book is revealed like a Chinese knot seemingly complicated yet pleasing and harmonious. Eva from Evas Book Addiction, Booklist*Starred Review* In this enchanted and enchanting adventure, Minli, whose name means quick thinking, lives with her desperately poor parents at the confluence of Fruitless Mountain and the Jade River. Still following the goldfishs instructions, Minli sets out for the City of Bright Moonlight. Characters included in the character map are: (These instructions are completely customizable. But her ingenuity helps her to survive as she meets and befriends a dragon, sees through the tricks of the King of the City of Bright Moonlight, finds a cure for Dragon's poison, and figures out how to communicate with the Old Man of the Moon. This is a good time to show students how to use a print or online thesaurus, but remind them only to use words that they are comfortable with; a fancy word is not necessarily the best word. During her journey, she comes across many challenges. 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". This book has many pages, yet it is the perfect amount for me. Those eye-opening visits made the folk tales and fairy tales her mother had shared with her as a child seem more alive. Use vivid language to construct their own personal narrative. She meets an orphan boy who lives alone with only a water buffalo for company, and she tells him that she needs to see the king. (The first column of Teacher Resource: Plot Outline provides a summary for the suggested answers. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. He allows Minli to eat with him in his castle, and she tells him her story. 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. Within the portal, all users can view and copy all storyboards. Character map is unfinished and/or disorganized. Why did Ma change from being envious of other peoples wealth to being content? However, at the last moment, the Old Man of the Moon transported the family magically to a new home, where they continue to livepoor but contenttoday. 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. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. Ask students: Suppose Grace Lin had just written Their village was dirty and their work was hard. How is this paragraph different? When Minlis parents discover that she is missing, they run after her. Perhapsyou need to trust her, the goldfish man says. A variety of online maps of China can be found in. 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. Give each student or pair a story to work with from the following list or let them choose one themselves, being sure that no two are working on the same story. All storyboards are public and can be viewed and copied by anyone. When she arrives to find the Old Man of the Moon, he offers her what seems to be a Spartan gift: she can only ask him a single question. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Summary". Minlis determination to help her family, as well as the grief her parents feel at her absence, is compelling and thoroughly human. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Characters | GradeSaver The performance starred Caroline Workman as Minli, Michael Tow as Storyteller/ Minli's Ba, and was directed by Jane Staab. Put the following sentence on the board: There was a mountain near the village. Then have students turn to the first sentence of. Da-Fu and A-Fu lead Minli to Never-Ending Mountain, where the Old Man of the Moon is said to live. 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). 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. Grace Lin, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Despite her mother's 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. BildungsromanShelf ElfPaper TigersMotherReaderCharlottes LibraryWrite for a ReaderThe Mommy FilesThrifty Minnesota Mama Creative MadnessAbby the Librarian, And EVEN more!Review at BookpageCareer, Craft & Cheer on CynsationsSoup of the Day at Jama Rattigans Alphabet SoupSeven Impossible Things Before BreakfastBook of Color Pick of the Day at Galley Cat, Make a Compass (like Minli!) 2. Mix well, a soft dough should form. *, Can u describe the character 'talking goldfish'. Slides or photos of challenges for Activity 1. Along the way she makes new friends including a flightless dragon and an orphan and proves her resourcefulness when she tricks a group of greedy monkeys and gets help from a king. In the book "Games at Twilight", what details do you notice that show this story is not taking place in the United States? All rights reserved. I LOVED it! 1. Classroom world map or map of Asia (It would be ideal to have a printed or projected map.) We walked down the hall and into the classroom. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon begins with a description of a small girl, Minli, and her parents, who live in a poor village at the base of Fruitless Mountain. young girlflowing black haircaringadventurousgenerous. Choose a character to represent each of the literary characters. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. More than half of the characters and scenes do not match the characters in the book. When she explains that she needs something called the borrowed line, the king shows her a magical sheet of paper his family has owned for generations. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Character Map The last date is today's Read more 2009 Grace Lin (P)2020 Hachette Audio Listening Length 4 hours and 58 minutes Author Here are some questions to extend students' understanding of the novel. Go over the worksheet to be sure that students understand it. Have a Feast (recipes to enjoy with the book). partygraces - Where the Mountain Meets the Moon This beautiful book is bound to become a classic. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. The goal of this activity is to have students engage with the text through a series of focused questions listed by chapter and page in Worksheet 1. Because of Minli's sacrifice to help a friend, she and her family receive everything they could ever have hoped for. The second part of the lesson has students return to the book to explore how the folktales enhance Minlis story. Dragon cannot fly. . Every day, the family works in. I bolted to get the book and started to read. In order to find the Old Man, the pair must find the Never-Ending Mountain. While some may say there are too many pages, I think the amount of pages doesn't matter anyways, although I like the amount, and reading more pages is a great challenge. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Wikipedia [Ripping a page from the Book of Fortune will not change one's fate.] ", Grace Lin, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. In the morning, she sneaks out of the house and releases the fish into the river. Let students investigate online resources for folktales from China. The meaning of that gift can only be revealed by reading the book. ), If you wish, divide students into pairs. What is a true friend? 8-12), Reading level: Ages 8-12Pages: 288 pagesPublisher: Little, Brown Young ReadersLanguage: English ISBN: 0316114278, 978-0316114271. Frame Stories in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. The game is an age-appropriate series of puzzles; kids are rewarded at Together, the two fly back to Minlis village, so she can return to her parents. Give students a few minutes to survey the book and look at the pictures. After you claim a section youll have 24 hours to send in a draft. While Lin tells the tale of the courageous Minli, she also imbeds other story vignettes that weave together and connect in complicated ways. will review the submission and either publish your submission or providefeedback. She is supposed to find the citys Guardian and ask for something called the borrowed line. She assumes that the Guardian is the king, so she leaves Dragon in the forest outside the city and goes in alone. Each figure tied to the next with the fine red thread of fate. Remind them to include vivid language. Be sure to use evidence from the story to support your ideas. Because of what seemed like a personal sacrifice in favor of helping a friend, Minli and her family receive all they ever hoped for and more. publication online or last modification online. Since then, she has traveled to China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, learning more about her own heritage. They rush to make her breakfast, and then Ba sees the bump from Dragons head, which Minli has brought home with her. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin is a middle grade fantasy fiction novel that takes inspiration from Chinese folklore and details the journey of a young girl, Minli, as she embarks on a hero's quest to improve her family's circumstances. Chinese Lesson (write the Chinese characters for mountain and moon) Ba smiles and says that Minlis return is the best fortune of all. Even so, Minli is a happy and vibrant child who eagerly listens as her father, whom she calls Ba, tells stories every night. What do you think is the secret of happiness? Minli is restless and never content with her lot in life. Photo: Alan Bradley, courtesy ofgracelin.com. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. All of the villagers, along with Minli's family, are also very poor, as farming is difficult in the hard and dry land due to Fruitless Mountain being the broken and lonely heart of the immortal Jade Dragon, a dragon that once brought rain to the Earth. The principal told me that was not a good idea. Through their cunning, they trick Green Tiger into falling down a well. However, she is still not sure if the film will be made or if it will not be made. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon begins with a description of a small girl, Minli, and her parents, who live in a poor village at the base of Fruitless Mountain. I think it has a good message for readers and Minli is a good role model. The Question and Answer section for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a great The line written there has changed again. She said there will be a movie released on 11/21/2020, however the movie was never made. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a fantasy - adventure children's novel inspired by Chinese folklore. When Minli finds Dragon, it cant fly and is caught up in some ropes. How Do I Protect My Young Child from Cyberbullying? In the story that the girl told the Great Green Tiger she stated that another tiger had taken her brother to be his slave for life. My teacher said she was really surprised and she told me how she felt about my pet. Read more than you ever thought you wanted to know about the backstory of the book! Ask students to choose a page at random and read aloud the most vivid sentence they can find to the class. A stage adaptation based on Lin's book was performed at Wheelock Family Theater in Boston, in April 2014. The twins befriend Minli and want to help her. Far away from here introduces the suggestion of an exotic location and/or time; The Jade River suggest China, which is known for jade. Not affiliated with Harvard College. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. Seeing her mothers unhappiness, the daughter grew discontented and went away to try to change her familys fortune. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Comment on the use of imagery in "Games at Twilight.". The stone lion gives the thread to Dragon. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. While folktales often include recognizable character types, and certainly we can identify some stock traits here (clever, wise, whiny, kind and poor, greedy, etc.) The art is absolutely beautiful. He in turn gives her a line of text written on a page that the Magistrate Tiger ripped out of the Old Man of the Moon's Book of Fortune. The main character of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is Minli, a young girl who lived in China many years ago. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a fantasy-adventure children's novel inspired by Chinese folklore. When she does so, the goldfish tells her directions to Never-Ending Mountain, where a wise immortal known as the Old Man of the Moon lives. Minli thus begins a traditional quest. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon Character Analysis Minli Minli is the protagonist and hero in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. 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. Andrew Medlar, School Library Journal*Starred Review* Gr 3-6 Living in the shadow of the Fruitless Mountain, Minli and her parents spend their days working in the rice fields, barely growing enough to feed themselves. Ba, however, seems glad that Minli is so hopeful. 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. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Summary | GradeSaver After her mother ridicules what she believes to be a foolish purchase, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, who, it is told, may impart the true secret to good fortune. Then ask them to share their best sentence with the class. Distribute Worksheet 3 and go over the directions with the students. "Where The Mountain Meets The Moon,", Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature, Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922-Present, Mythopoeic Awards: Acceptance Remarks 2010, "Wheelocks Mountain a vivid adaptation", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Where_the_Mountain_Meets_the_Moon&oldid=1135777303, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 20:10. the end with a mysterious gift. The Old Man instructs Minli to remove a rock on Dragons head it has been keeping Dragon from flight. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Summary. thissection. Distribute copies of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. He planned on doing whatever he could to marry his son to a member of the Imperial Family. She does not like for Ba to tell the stories to Minli because she thinks he is filling her head with ideas. When Dragon and Minli reunite, each is surprised to learn that the other has found a borrowed line. Dragon also reveals that he was born from a painting and came to life when his eyes were painted. (authors note) (Fantasy. I loved the way it was told through a lot of fairy tales. The single line of text upon it is usually unreadable, but sometimes during historically important moments, the words are intelligibleand they always say something different. Personification is a literary device that give human traits to nonhuman objects. Which characters in the book prove to be true friends? Rewrite one of the following passages to make it more vivid, using specific language and concrete details.