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baldwinme40's review
5.0
I loved this! Fantastic and delightful, rich in stories that all weave together. It might just be a kid's book but some of the parts with Minli and her parents had me choked up there. I really like how they are important to the story, how they grow, and are not dead or irrelevant. Good Stuff (TM).
missalys's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
jkimbro's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
tifaenjoyer's review
5.0
IDGAF IF I READ THIS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (I don’t remember which grade). I enjoyed this soooo much and it was such an easy read. It was such a magical story and I absolutely adore it. I don’t know if I plan to reread this because there is more than a decade of an age gap between when I read this from now. I probably should.
book_concierge's review
4.0
Book on CD narrated by Janet Song
From the book jacket: In the valley of fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli’s mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head with nonsense. But Minli believes these enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune.
My reactions
What a delightful story for middle-school readers (and adults). Inspired by Chinese folklore, Lin weaves a fantasy tale of one young woman’s quest to help her family. Minli’s courage, grace, kindness and perseverance are to be admired. Over and over again she is tested, and always finds a way to succeed. But her ultimate test is one of friendship and faith, for she has had help along the way and one friend in particular, a dragon, has asked her to pose a question to the Old Man of the Moon.
I loved the many stories told by Ba and Ma as much as I enjoyed the central story of Minli’s adventurous journey. I am reminded of the stories my grandparents, aunts and uncles told on many a night, as we sat on the front porch in the dark, my imagination running wild with tales of adventure.
Janet Song does a superb job performing the audio book. Her delivery was perfectly suited to this type of fantasy. I was mesmerized. I’m glad that I also had a copy of the text, however, because it includes some lovely illustrations.
From the book jacket: In the valley of fruitless mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli’s mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head with nonsense. But Minli believes these enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune.
My reactions
What a delightful story for middle-school readers (and adults). Inspired by Chinese folklore, Lin weaves a fantasy tale of one young woman’s quest to help her family. Minli’s courage, grace, kindness and perseverance are to be admired. Over and over again she is tested, and always finds a way to succeed. But her ultimate test is one of friendship and faith, for she has had help along the way and one friend in particular, a dragon, has asked her to pose a question to the Old Man of the Moon.
I loved the many stories told by Ba and Ma as much as I enjoyed the central story of Minli’s adventurous journey. I am reminded of the stories my grandparents, aunts and uncles told on many a night, as we sat on the front porch in the dark, my imagination running wild with tales of adventure.
Janet Song does a superb job performing the audio book. Her delivery was perfectly suited to this type of fantasy. I was mesmerized. I’m glad that I also had a copy of the text, however, because it includes some lovely illustrations.
rebeccazh's review
4.0
a very charming book! it reminds me of the best of children's stories -- a lot of gentle wisdom told with a child's simplicity and understanding. i loved each of the little folktales nestled within minli's larger quest/adventure. i also really enjoyed reading about the chinese folktales i know in english.
spectralcas's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
5.0
brittburkard's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
agmcculloch1's review
3.0
The first book read by our mother-daughter book club. The description and setting didn't engage me, so I didn't expect to like this book. In actuality, it was a fast-moving meaningful story that kept me turning the pages and hooked until the end. The girls all liked the book and we had good discussion about determination and how the main character's actions impacted not only her but her family and community.