Not affiliated with Harvard College. You may value money, friends, family or ideals like honesty, generosity, and faith. The characters and scenes are both appropriate for the book's characters. Symbols & Motifs. Have students explain how they grew or changed because of this experience. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a Chinese fairy tale about an adventurous girl who searches for the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of changing the fortune of her poor family. Also there are many villages. They become friends, and Dragon offers to be her steed for the journey, despite the fact that he cannot fly, unlike other dragons. Her mother, Ma, complains that these stories are foolish and harmful. Let students investigate online resources for folktales from China. Here are some questions to extend students' understanding of the novel. The people and the houses look happy and prosperous. Create a character map of the characters in the story. As you read, take notes on the characters by answering the questions. The two unlikely allies travel together in search of the Old Man, coming upon many different places along the way. 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. Numerous collections of Chinese folktales can also be accessed through the library. She does so, and immediately Dragon can fly. This first activity introduces the book and requires students to read it and keep a journal. As you look at the embedded folk tales in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, what are three values that seem to be important? Minli's mother is very dissatisfied with the family's situation. To her surprise, the fish speaks and says that it has swum every river of the world except the Jade Riverthe one Minli has brought her to now. This is quite a minor character. I was glad to see a few things from when I was younger and I started to play with them. I went down to the cellar the other day. Then I dropped something and it made a loud noise. He wrote a single word on a sheet of paper, but the magistrates soldiers lost it on the way home. She said there will be a movie released on 11/21/2020, however the movie was never made. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon By Grace Lin Chapters 1-4 Before you read the chapters: The protagonist in most novels features the main character or "good guy". Where the Mountain Meets the Moon characters in a Character Map Minli Wishes to find Old Man of the Moon in order to change her family's fortune.Has Where the Mountain Meets the Moon characters in a Character Map Minli Wishes to find Old Man of the Moon in order to change her family's fortune.Has Recursos Precios Crear un Guin Grfico GradeSaver, 5 February 2018 Web. Minli is a strong character and a positive role model. Themes. In August 2015, Lin revealed that the film rights for the book had been bought. While Lin tells the tale of the courageous Minli, she also imbeds other story vignettes that weave together and connect in complicated ways. One year later, the goldfish man returns to the town at the base of Fruitless Mountain, and he cannot believe how much it has changed. Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery), (You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.). 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. young girlflowing black haircaringadventurousgenerous. their work. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON is a fantasy-fiction story where Chinese Folklore is engraved throughout the story. When this story is finished, Minli asks to hear another, but Ba refuses, not wanting to displease Ma. Many of the characters and scenes match the book's characters. Order our Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Study Guide, teaching or studying Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Imagine how much more those books would have meant to me, she wrote later, if they had been books of substance, if they had reflected my life with more accuracy and heart, addressed concerns and struggles and triumphs that really affected me. She also loved the books of Chinese folktales that her mother gave her, in spite of their being too simply told. The author of where the Mountain Meets the moon is Grace Lin. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Outside the city, Dragon also obtains a red string of destiny that is used to tie people destined to meet and marry together, which he believes is the borrowed line. 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). After some collaboration, they realize they can use their lines (the line of text and the line of destiny) to form a kite and fly up to the moon. [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. Readers of the book get to relive the story of Minli's journey, readers (From a Christian perspective, it also had a surprising theme of providence in it.) Make two copies for each pair of students to use in analyzing the embedded stories. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a juvenile fiction novel by Grace Lin, author of The Year of the Dog. Grades 3-6. Lin deftly incorporates elements from Chinese folk- and fairy tales to create stories within the main story and provide context for Minlis quest. [1] [2] The novel received a 2010 Newbery Honor [3] and the 2010 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature. Go over the worksheet to be sure that students understand it. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Each version of Storyboard That has a different privacy and security model that is tailored for the expected usage. The CharactersThe Characters Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is filled with rich and varied characters: Minli, whose name means quick-thinking; Dragon, her companion on the . Many of the notes have correct information, but some are incorrect or missing. The side characters are Gold fish man, Old Man of the Moon, and Dafu and Afu. 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. This talking creature helps the heroine and her friend along their way early in the story. The blooms of the flowering trees also provide the antidote to the Green Tiger's poison, which saved Dragon. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Ask them what qualities she showed as she overcame these challenges (for example: courage, cleverness, persistence). We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make yourown. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Where The Mountain Meets The Moon Character Analysis When they have finished, have them compare the results with a partner to see what different effects they get when they use vivid language. 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. Finding Identity through Childrens Books, Dont Judge a Book by Its Character (Even If It Is Chinese), The Extra Adjective: How I Came to Terms with Being a Multicultural Book Author, Folktales and Ecology: Animals and Humans in Cooperation and Conflict, Helpful Animals and Compassionate Humans in Folklore, "Cinderella" Folk Tales: Variations in Character. In this activity, students return to the novel to analyze the folktale embedded within it. Once again, she has created a charming, engaging book for young listeners. All rights reserved. When Dragon and Minli reunite, each is surprised to learn that the other has found a borrowed line. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Grace Lin She says they make Minli dream instead of focusing on the reality of the familys poor fortune. 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. Have students complete the worksheet. It is late at night when Minli tiptoes into her familys hut and crawls into bed. The game is an age-appropriate series of puzzles; kids are rewarded at Write The house was on the hill on the board. In order to find the Old Man, the pair must find the Never-Ending Mountain. 2020 GRACE LIn, all rights reserved. The new book was published on October 4, 2016. Assess the second copy of Worksheet 2 for completeness, accuracy in recalling details of the story, and mechanics of writing. It is a mystical dragon, born from a painting that was supposedly owned by the evil Magistrate Tiger (who serves as the villain of the book). She decides to let it go because of how bitter it made Ma. The old man instructs her to remove a rock from Dragon's head, which has been preventing him from flying. The meaning of that gift can only be revealed by reading the book. (Most students will say it is very big and has a huge population; a few may be able to bring up current events involving China.) [1][2] The novel received a 2010 Newbery Honor[3] and the 2010 Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children's Literature. This strong-willed, young Chinese girl lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain and decides to run off on a quest to change her family's fortune. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a juvenile fiction novel by Grace Lin, author of The Year of the Dog. Then, my mind suddenly shouted, How about that book from the library? I bolted to get the book and started to read. Also, she is full of bitterness and resentment due to their poverty. That is, does it have a beginning, a middle, and an end? Be sure to use evidence from the story to support your ideas. 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. Give each student a complete copy of worksheet 1 at the beginning. Word Count: 2124. This time, it says, You only lose what you cling to. After thinking this over, the king decides that giving the paper to Minli is the only way to avoid losing it. I think this story was okay but it was lacking adventure and it was hard to follow along. Minli is a strong-willed, young Chinese girl who lives in the Village of Fruitless Mountain. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Summary. When he was a teenager, he learned that he was going to die young. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.). Making Fruitless Mountain bloom! This outline can serve as a reference for the teacher for the entire lesson.). Show students a collage picture frame with multiple photos or draw one on the board. 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. Frame Stories in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. That afternoon, she meets a man who sells goldfish. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. He warns her that he only has time to answer one question. The second part of the lesson has students return to the book to explore how the folktales enhance Minlis story. She describes a poor woman who was blessed with loving husband and a beautiful, happy daughter. As they work, hold writing conferences with individual students in need of assistance. [7] I brought my pet into school. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Ask students to write one final paragraph in which they compare themselves with Minli. Why or why not? What are three things you can do to make your narrative even better? 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. characters - where the mountain meets the moon A variety of online maps of China can be found in. While Lin tells the tale of the courageous Minli, she also imbeds other story vignettes that weave together and connect in complicated ways. Using the borrowed line of text and the line of destiny, the adventurers stitch a kite that stretches into a bridge, and Minli goes on alone to meet the Old Man of the Moon. size). Along the way, they encounter selfish monkeys, whom Minli manages to trick into letting them pass, and together they enter the City of Bright Moonlight, where Minli leaves Dragon in a cave and takes refuge in a boy's home.