First Pages: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

The first lines from Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. The green tiger pictured above faces our front door to guard our house.  His little pink tiger friend has gone missing.  We purchased both when we went to Hong Kong a few years ago.

Grace Lin starts off Where the Mountain Meets the Moon with a fable-like story.  Already I'm hooked. I love the strong storytelling vibe and the voice right away.  I grew up with my grandma who was a wonderful oral storyteller.  I loved listening to her stories and I had her write many of them down for me before she died.  And though she was on the Filipino side of my family and not the Chinese side, whenever I read a story with a strong storyteller, I think of her. 

You know what I love about 'growing up again' with my girls?  The chance to read all these wonderful books that I wish I had access to when I was growing up the first time around!  When I was in grade school, there were NO books about Asians in my school library.  Granted, I went to a small Catholic school in the middle of Orange County, in a not very diverse area.  But there is so much more out there, and so many more people telling their stories.  (Just not enough time to read them all!)

Mini Me also has When the Sea Turned to Silver  (her fave) and Starry River of the Sky (her introduction to Grace Lin).  If you know a 3rd grader and up who loves to read, these books are good ones to buy for the holidays.  And coincidentally, Grace Lin has graciously offered to do book plates for your gifts!  Limited time offer for small business Saturday. 

I'm off to celebrate my dad's birthday early, then for a walk with the family, and then we're headed to our local indie bookstore to make some sneak purchases while I have Mr. Bookworm distract the girls.  :D

Tell Dr. Bookworm!

Do you have a storyteller in your family?  Did you grow up with a grandparent who loved to tell stories?  Let me know in the comments.  xo