Blogger Book Club

Minli works in the rice field all day along with her parents. She is the first to come home to make dinner for the three of them. The father tells tales to cheer them up. The mother complains that the stories are just filling the child's thoughts with nonsense. One of the stories was of the Old Man in the Moon who holds every one's destiny. Minli seeks out to find the Old Man to change her family's destiny. Minli only has two coin and her mother thinks that she foolishly wastes a coin to buy a goldfish. The goldfish talks and gives Minli clues to find the Old Man in the Moon.

Minli's name means "quick thinking". She really is a quick thinker and it serves useful in several occasions. She befriends a dragon; the feeling is mutual. The dragon can't fly, but they still cope. Throughout her amazing journey, Minli learns the importance of friendship, faith and family. She learns that we should not fight anger with more anger. It just adds to the power. Anger can be the strength; it can also be the weakness. Anger can blind perception. I was amazed when I found out who did the illustrations for the book. Grace Lin placed compelling Chinese tales at the appropriate times in the book. It is no wonder why this book is nominated for the 2012 Rebecca Caudill Award. It is no wonder why it was a Newbery Honor Award winner!