Books

• 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 Roker’s TODAY Show Kid’s Book Club Pick, December 2009
• 2010 Mythopeic Fantasy Award for Children’s 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 Children’s/Young Adult Literature

“I don’t think that, in the fourteen years I have worked as a children’s 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 it…There 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 Eva’s 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. While her mother worries and complains about their lot, her father brightens their evenings with storytelling. 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. 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. Along the way, she finds excitement, danger, humor, magic, and wisdom, and she befriends a flightless dragon, a talking fish, and other companions and helpmates in her quest. With beautiful language, Lin creates a strong, memorable heroine and a mystical land. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot. Children will embrace this accessible, timeless story about the evil of greed and the joy of gratitude. Lin’s own full-color drawings open each chapter. Grades 3-6. –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. Every night, Minli’s father tells her stories about the Jade Dragon that keeps the mountain bare, the greedy and mean Magistrate Tiger, and the Old Man of the Moon who holds everyone’s destiny. Determined to change her family’s 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. 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. Interwoven with Minli’s quest are tales told by her father and by those she meets on the way. While these tales are original to Lin, many characters, settings, and themes are taken from traditional Chinese folklore. The author’s writing is elegant, and her full-color illustrations are stunning. Minli’s determination to help her family, as well as the grief her parents feel at her absence, is compelling and thoroughly human. Jennifer Rothschild, Prince George’s County Memorial Library System, Oxon Hill, MD

Kirkus Reviews
*Starred Review*To change her family’s fortunes, a poor Chinese girl embarks on a fantastical quest to discover she already has everything she needs to be happy. Minli and her parents live in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, where they toil endlessly. Bitter and resentful, Minli’s mother complains when her husband fills Minli’s imagination with enchanting tales of Never-Ending Mountain and the Old Man of the Moon. “Eager for adventure,” Minli sets out alone seeking advice from the Old Man of the Moon. En route she befriends a dragon who joins her quest. Together they encounter a talking goldfish, a boy with a buffalo, a king, a fierce green tiger and laughing twins before scaling Never-Ending Mountain. Lin deftly incorporates elements from Chinese folk- and fairy tales to create stories within the main story and provide context for Minli’s quest. 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. Richly hued illustrations reinforce the Chinese folk theme. (author’s note) (Fantasy. 8-12)