Where the Moon Meets the Mountain

Where the Moon Meets the Mountain by Grace Lin was just a super book filled with a wonderful tale of a girl, Minli who decides that she will try to change her family's fortune to please her mother who is constantly complaining about all that other people have while they have nothing. The book follows the girl along her journey to find the Old Man of the Moon who she must ask to change her fortune. Along the way she meets a dragon, selfish monkeys,  a buffalo boy, a green tiger,  a pair of clever twins, and of course the Old Man of the Moon.

This book is filled with rich details, magic, and Chinese folklore that teach important lessons to the characters throughout the book, especially Minli's mother who learns that while she was complaining about all that she didn't have, she took for granted all of the things that she did have: a happy loving family.

While it was Minli's adventure that kept the reader moving along, I loved the mother's journey the most throughout the book.  A mother who is sick of work, not having enough, and a husband who only tells stories. Yeah, I get that. Except the stories part-switch that with just sitting on the couch watching golf and we're good.   Anyway, I really connected with the mother. She is just tired of working hard and getting little to nothing out of it.  She takes her fortune frustration out on her child, and that is a bit unfair, but haven't we all had those days?  The way the mother slowly comes along is realistic and true. I mean, how many mothers are at home each night stuck at the sink, again, washing dishes and cleaning up after their children wishing that they lived a more fortunate life? We don't do it meaning to be ungrateful, we do it because we are exhausted and want a break from what is immediately impacting our happiness. Reading this book was a perfectly timed reminder that sometimes you just need to sit back and force yourself to recognize all that you have and should be grateful for.