Starry River of the Sky

May 19, 2013 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, children, drama, family-story, fantasy, historical, mystery

In a mythic land very like ancient China, Rendi is running away. He ends up in the Village of Clear Sky, working at the local inn. Things are tough; there has been no rain, and even if only Rendi sees it, the moon has vanished from the sky. Rendi's story is interwoven with the stories of the villagers, the inn guests, and the stories they all tell about the moon, the sun, the missing mountain, Magistrate Tiger, the sage, and more. The stories may be mythic, but they all have a message threaded t...more

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Jan 20, 2013 Tracie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: youth_fiction, fairy_tales

Rendi runs away from home after a bitter dispute with his father, ultimately being taken in by an innkeeper as a chore boy. As Rendi gets to know the innkeeper and his daughter and exchanges stories with the inn's mysterious guests, he is troubled by haunting moans in the night that only he seems able to hear. To make matters more perplexing, the moon seems to have disappeared from the heavens--and no one in the Village of Clear Sky appears to care. The innkeeper is far too consumed by his own p...more

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Jan 09, 2013 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: folktale, folktale-fairy-tale-variations, friendship, kids-mystery, multicultural, read-aloud, kids-fiction, 2013-notables

Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin is the story of Rendi, a runaway boy, who ends up at the Village of Clear Sky, and mysteries about the moon's disappearance, Rendi's background, and various visitors and residents of the village.

This conpanion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is set a few hundred years before that book, though a couple characters are in both books. Lin adapts classic Chinese tales to serve her plot. These tales give clues to the various mysteries. These seemingly r...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Kathy Cowley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tale, fantasy, fiction, ya-mg

A modern retelling of traditional Chinese stories, this book is set in the same story world as Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. It’s not a sequel (it’s set several hundred years before the other story), but it’s not exactly a prequel either, though a few characters figure prominently in both books.

The things I love about this book and the first are the same: Chinese mythology retold, that it's a story about storytelling, that young people make choices that make a big difference in their world....more

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Nov 21, 2012 Brenda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rendi has run away from home – gone as far as he can to be away from his father, Magistrate Tiger as he possibly can. His father, hoping to become an important man, bullies everyone around him with his arrogant and dishonest challenges. His tricks and plans seem to get him what he wants, but Rendi cannot bear to be part of the deceit. Although it means leaving his mother and sister behind, Rendi’s anger at being used and discarded gets the best of him and he set off. His journey brings him to th...more Rendi has run away from home – gone as far as he can to be away from his father, Magistrate Tiger as he possibly can. His father, hoping to become an important man, bullies everyone around him with his arrogant and dishonest challenges. His tricks and plans seem to get him what he wants, but Rendi cannot bear to be part of the deceit. Although it means leaving his mother and sister behind, Rendi’s anger at being used and discarded gets the best of him and he set off. His journey brings him to the City of Clear Sky. He finds a job as chore boy in the Inn and here questions and stories unfold around him. They make him wonder about choices - his choices. Where has the innkeeper’s son gone? Is Peiyi angry or sad? Why is she concerned about leaving? Why do neighbors argue, when working together they could find a solution? Is it possible that Mr. Shan cannot tell the difference between a rabbit and a toad? Where is the moon and why does no one else notice it is missing? And mostly, what is the sound, the crying and haunts Rendi everywhere he goes?

An elegant lady comes to the Inn and Reyndi wonders why she has chosen to stay there. At once enchanted by her stories and the ease she brings to their lives, Rendi begins to understand that people are revealed by the stories they tell. He learns that many stories can be understood different ways – one story may have as many different meanings as there are listeners. Finally Rendi’s questions are answered and he knows what he must do.

Readers of Starry River to the Sky will smile as they discover how the threads from each story told are woven together to create a rich tapestry combining China’s ancient tales with our contemporary lives to create a new, completely satisfying story challenge, friendship and love. Mountains, the moon, toads and journeys play an important role in Grace Lin’s new book – a companion to When the Mountain Meets the Moon. You’re sure to love to journey as you begin to wonder what you reveal through the stories you share and tell.(less)

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Nov 13, 2012 Kidsmomo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review by Karen, intended for young readers:

I have a very important tip for you: the next time you have a cross-country flight and you’re looking for the perfect book to keep you entertained — make you chuckle, make your eyes well up with tears, make the time pass ridiculously quickly — choose Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin.

Of course, it’s always a risk to pack just one book for a long plane ride because what if you hate it from the first chapter and you’re stuck reading the Skymall magazi...more Review by Karen, intended for young readers:

I have a very important tip for you: the next time you have a cross-country flight and you’re looking for the perfect book to keep you entertained — make you chuckle, make your eyes well up with tears, make the time pass ridiculously quickly — choose Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin.

Of course, it’s always a risk to pack just one book for a long plane ride because what if you hate it from the first chapter and you’re stuck reading the Skymall magazine in your seatback pocket instead? Not to worry, in this case! I started reading the book as we sat on the runway and I was hooked right away. And once I started, I read it straight through until I finished. I couldn’t even put it down during the take-off when I usually close my eyes because I get a headache from the plane going at an angle!

The book tells the story of Rendi, a runaway boy who gets stuck in a teeny village, working alongside a family that owns the local inn. While he plots his departure, he gets to know the village residents and the mysterious woman staying at the inn — and so do you. And you’ll probably get to wondering: Could they all be connected to the fact that the moon is missing and the sky seems to cry? What in their history is coming back to haunt them? What secrets are they hiding? And what are they revealing in the stories they tell to pass the time?

Variations on Chinese folk tales play a big role in this book, but the story never feels dull OR overly fantastical. There’s an element of magic, but it’s really a story about the human heart — and how one boy changes the lives of everyone in the town.

So, what makes this book so good? That’s actually kind of hard to explain, because the book is a quiet sort of book and sneaks up on you. Maybe that’s part of it — it’s not loud and big and in-your-face, so it affects you in a much gentler way. Since I lurve food, I’d say it’s like a complex blended soup: comforting and easy to eat, but the more you consume, the more you start tasting and enjoying all the hidden flavors from the ingredients you can’t see.

This review also appears on Kidsmomo.com.(less)

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Nov 03, 2012 Barb Middleton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tale, good-read-aloud

Taiwanese workers have been fixing the leaking hot water pipes in our apartment. Custom is to not wear shoes inside apartments, but I cringe thinking they will slice open their foot on the shards of bricks, concrete and tiles scattered on the floor. I point to the tennis shoes I'm walking around in and say, "Okay... shoes." Then I give the thumbs up. They laugh and I noticed over the course of a week them eventually wearing shoes inside the apartment. While I like this custom of removing shoes,...more Taiwanese workers have been fixing the leaking hot water pipes in our apartment. Custom is to not wear shoes inside apartments, but I cringe thinking they will slice open their foot on the shards of bricks, concrete and tiles scattered on the floor. I point to the tennis shoes I'm walking around in and say, "Okay... shoes." Then I give the thumbs up. They laugh and I noticed over the course of a week them eventually wearing shoes inside the apartment. While I like this custom of removing shoes, I think exceptions are okay too. The joy of living overseas is this sharing of cultures and I love how Grace Lin mixes Asian customs and blends cultures in a seamless way in her novels. This story takes Chinese folklore and weaves it into a storyline so masterfully that if you aren't familiar with them, you would think Lin made the stories up.

Rendi has run away from home and ends up in a remote village as a chore boy at an Inn. He is horribly angry with his father's choices. At the village Inn Rendi meets people who care about each other and who are also dealing with their own problems. Peiyi's mom has died. Master Chao fights with his neighbor, Widow Yang, and his son left after they had a horrible argument. MeiLan, Widow Yang's daughter, must secretly be friends with Peiyi and is in love with Master Chao's son. Mr. Shan is an old man who eats at the Inn every day and is getting more and more confused as the days go by. Worst of all the moon is missing and Rendi hears the night wind moaning and groaning so he can't sleep. When the mysterious Madame Chang arrives at the Inn she tells stories that not only entertain the guests but help heal their troubles. When Rendi joins in with his own stories he finds healing in a way he didn't expect.

Grace Lin's use of images such as prayer beads, dragon's pearl, lychees, peach symbol of longevity, and more, creates a setting rooted in Asian culture. Yet the themes are universal and abundant. Characters are searching for peace, acceptance, family, wisdom, belonging, and forgiveness. While this is mainly Rendi's story, she entangles all the stories in such a way that I found myself going back to reread what happened in a previous story because it applied to a future story. The complexity of how Lin interconnects these stories and characters makes for a terrific plot.

Those who read Lin's book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, will recognize Magistrate Tiger, the White tiger, and the old sage, but this story seemed more complex because of the plotting. Lin's character's are engaging and interesting from the tension caused by their internal changes. Rendi has to make choices on his attitude toward others, the way he wants to live his life, and decision to forgive others, and what it means to "return home." Rendi grows into a better person from his experiences and I can't help but think of my own life of living overseas, growing as an individual, and eventually "returning home."

There's a lot of Newbery buzz around this one. I can see why.
Reading level 5.8(less)

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Oct 28, 2012 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: abusive-relationships, animals, bullies, community, cultural-identity, families, folk-tales, friendship, travel, rural-life, ncbla2013

I have been eagerly awaiting this new title from Grace Lin, half-fearful that I'd be disappointed because of my high expectations for it and half-gleeful because I assumed it would transport me to a time and place far from today and allow me to forget my own cares and woes. My fears were foundless since the author does not fail to delight. I was transported to the remote village of Clear Sky where Rendi has ended up working as a chore boy for a local innkeeper. I was enchanted by Madame Chang an...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, kids_books, middle-readers, review-copy

After having read Grace Lin's Newbery Honor-winning novel "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" I could not wait to read this just-released companion book. Once again, Lin offers up a story about life with beautiful pictures and Asian inspired folk-tales interwoven throughout.
What I love about her books is that the plot-line is interesting, but there are also great concepts for kids and adults alike. This book tends to focus on forgiveness and family as its main theme. It is a perfect read-alou...more

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Sep 11, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is one of those books that makes me feel like an AWFUL librarian. All the cool kids like it, but I found it personally painful to read. I don't know why-- I usually adore books with an Asian theme even though they are a hard sell at my school. Most commenters say this is lyrical and beautifully written, which is true, but my students never ask for lyrical books. My problem, what made me take my glasses off and scrub my face in frustration, was that not much happened, and the minute it did,...more

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Sep 10, 2012 Mandy Robbins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Where The Mountain Meets The Moon by Grace Lin was the sort of book I closed with perfect contentment. A beautiful story, elegantly written, filled with delightful twists and joyful surprises. Given my love of Chinese history, culture and folklore, I had hoped I would enjoy it, but I had never read a book by Grace Lin before so I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. Truly, a more perfect standalone book for children one can rarely find.
So I was to see an ARC of Starry River of The Sky, the bra...more Where The Mountain Meets The Moon by Grace Lin was the sort of book I closed with perfect contentment. A beautiful story, elegantly written, filled with delightful twists and joyful surprises. Given my love of Chinese history, culture and folklore, I had hoped I would enjoy it, but I had never read a book by Grace Lin before so I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. Truly, a more perfect standalone book for children one can rarely find.
So I was to see an ARC of Starry River of The Sky, the brand new companion novel to Mountain. What, I wondered, could there possibly have been left to say?
Turns out, there was quite a lot. Filled with unexpected and delightful connections to Lin’s previous masterpiece, Starry River is nonetheless its very own piece of art, a perfect read-aloud that will satisfy adults just as much as kids. The story follows Rendi, an angry young boy who has run away from home. When he finds himself stuck in a poor village where the moon seems to have disappeared from the sky, his days are sullen and his nights, filled with sorrowful cries that seem to be coming from the empty night sky, are sleepless.
The characters and stories that fill this novel are just as enthralling as their predecessors, though the theme has shifted. Where Mountain focuses on the power of faith and the wisdom of story, Starry River has valuable things to say about the destructive power of anger, the healing power of forgiveness.
There is also a gentle overriding reminder that some of the most beautiful relationships spring from times of uncertainty and darkness, and that when peace returns again there is often an accompanying stab of the particular sorrow of parting—there is no such thing as perfect, in other words. There is an ebb and flow to life that cannot be controlled or manipulated.
Lin manages big, timeless ideas with simple, non-preachy stories, brilliantly based in Chinese folklore but re-spun and added to by her own imagination. The result is a culturally authentic, inspiring and brilliant book. (less)

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May 13, 2012 Ravenous Biblioworm rated it 4 of 5 stars

Rating: 4/5

In this lyrical story book, Lin pulls the power to captivate her audience with folklore and fable. I received this (ARC) book from someone I work with and am I glad she lent it to me. She knew it wasn't my thing - middle grade books - but gave it to me still anyway, trusting that I'll like it. I did enjoy it. The world of Rendi, Peiyi, Master Chao, Mr. Shan, and Madame Chang was very enticing.

The book is a very easy read with very frank, but at times rich, language. The deeper I tread...more Rating: 4/5

In this lyrical story book, Lin pulls the power to captivate her audience with folklore and fable. I received this (ARC) book from someone I work with and am I glad she lent it to me. She knew it wasn't my thing - middle grade books - but gave it to me still anyway, trusting that I'll like it. I did enjoy it. The world of Rendi, Peiyi, Master Chao, Mr. Shan, and Madame Chang was very enticing.

The book is a very easy read with very frank, but at times rich, language. The deeper I tread into the book, the more whimsical the book became. When I was done, I felt pleased, and a sense of nostalgia seemed to have washed over me. Why? Starry River of the Sky invokes moments of my childhood in me. I grew up around books and for some reason or another, I'm reminded of the times of the excitement and eagerness I felt when I was little, when I first learned of Aesop's Fables, or when I started reading chapter books by myself. I know for a fact, if I was years younger, I would greatly enjoy this book, love this book even. The story begins with a stowaway boy: Rendi. And he arrives in a village where soon story telling seems to be the thing. At first, it just seemed like these story were random - little entertainment for the characters and the (target children) audience reading the books. Near the end, all the stories come together becoming one big impressive well thought out plot.

As this is a book targeted towards young children the dialogue and sentence structures are very simple. Expectant. Characteristics and personality were usually told but Lin also used cultural metaphors and similes effortlessly well into the book to build a very unique world, thus rounding out the characters in her book. For example, the disagreement between Master Chao and Widow Yan was depicted very simplistically, edged further by a generational dispute, to an almost brow raising unbelievable way (meaning I thought it was corny and simplified down - again for her target children audience, and so it was too much for my tastes), but the way their disagreement was woven into the stories that were being told and the descriptive langauge made those moments bearable for me. Endearing even.

The plot, at first, seemed very scattered and disarranged. I found myself thinking, with all the stories: where is this going? But, like I said before, as I tread further into the book, I realized there are more to the stories and that the stories were well placed and they wove together so easily by the end (which I'm sure is not as easy as I'm making it sound for the writing process). The stories were a lot like fables: how something came to be and why something does something. For example, why the sun rises every morning. To my surprised, I enjoyed some of the stories, especially those from Rendi and Lin made these stories have a purpose to the whole book other than being a side-show, showing that even though stories may just be stories, they can hold a lot more meaning to the person telling the story.

Overall, I thought the book was written well enough. It's simple but not. Simple in the fact regarding people interaction, characterization... But not, in the description of things, places, and of little details. Perfect example is the title, an expressive way to say the night sky with the endless flow of stars, the sun, and moon. For me, I felt the age difference in which this book was targeted for. Typically, I wouldn't have picked up this book, but I'm glad it came across my way. I enjoyed it. But for me, not a shelf keeper, only because it's not my cup of tea. Hence the point drop. Just not for me.

Verdict: I'm sure other readers will love this book. Young imaginative children especially. The ARC had incomplete pictures in pen sketches scattered between the pages. In the final product, I'm sure these pictures would be a better deal and a seller for others. The pictures already look good.

Note: There is another companion book to this book - Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

Visit my book review blog at ravenousbiblioworm.wordpress.com (less)

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Jan 13, 2013 Heidi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: folktales, 2012-books-blogged, 2013-favorites-read-this-year, books-i-own, middle-grade-adventure, read-in-2013, middle-grade-fantasy, middle-grade-favorites

There are some authors that the minute I know they have a new book coming out, I immediately pre-order it. Grace Lin is one of those authors. Not just because I love her gorgeous illustrations (I love those bright colors she always uses), which I do, but also because her stories always draw me in and make me want to be a part of her characters lives. So, when I heard about this book, I knew I would love it and I did.

Rendi is an interesting character from page one. While he is not particularly li...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Miz Lizzie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: asian-american, china, fantasy, folklore, friendship, families, childrensbooks, mythology, runaways

Rendi is a runaway who unhappily finds himself working as a chore boy at an inn in the Village of Clear Sky. No one else seems to notice that the moon is missing and that the sky moans in pain all night long until the mysterious Madame Chang arrives at the inn. Through her stories and the stories she entices out of him, Rendi finds friendship and inner peace. Though I mostly enjoyed this book, especially the stories told by the characters, it didn't pack the punch for me that its companion novel...more

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Jan 28, 2013 Patrick rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: junior-fiction-elementary-age

It's fun. I really enjoyed the tone and pictures, and the story really picks up the second half of the book...so it's 4 stars for me, but I think overall a 3 star book because it's a little too slow and introspective. I think adult fans of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon will like it more than young ones.

This serves as a distant prequel for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, but I've forgotten so much of it that I think I missed some of the aha moments. It's not as good as that book, but it's...more It's fun. I really enjoyed the tone and pictures, and the story really picks up the second half of the book...so it's 4 stars for me, but I think overall a 3 star book because it's a little too slow and introspective. I think adult fans of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon will like it more than young ones.

This serves as a distant prequel for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, but I've forgotten so much of it that I think I missed some of the aha moments. It's not as good as that book, but it's a different sort of story too. It's much more character driven. I really enjoyed the moral of loving and forgiving, and the main kid, Rendi, becomes likable as he learns to love by being loved. So it's sweet, but it's mostly the characters sitting around telling these stories that are much more removed from the narrative than the first book. It's interesting back story, but there's no urgency until the plot finally picks up near the end.

It's slow for the first 2/3 of the book. The whole book takes place in one small town and mostly one small inn, until the very end when they venture out to one other location nearby. So the sense of discovery and wonder from the first book is missing.

Besides that, the stories don't mesh together in the intricate puzzle nearly as cleverly. There's basically two parallel plots going on, but the solutions to the two seem forced together rather than beautifully emerging together like the 4 or 5 plots in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

This book will be hurt by the comparisons to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon because it's not as magical or interesting, but at the same time, no one would even read this book if not for that, and I think I enjoyed it more knowing what to expect from the first book.

So recommended for those who enjoyed Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Just know it's different and slower. My 7-yr-old and 5-yr-old adored Where the Mountain Meets the Moon read aloud; I'm very unsure if they will stick to Starry River of the Sky.(less)

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Oct 25, 2012 Kristin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-of-2012, folk-tale, fairytale, friendship, kids, read-in-2012, reader-s-advisory, self-worth

Check this review out and others on my blog: Get Real.

What a great book, that surpasses Grace Lin's companion novel Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. The author has a real knack for making the past seem new and fresh, while still keeping true to the cultural and historic aspects of the folklore traditions she uses.

Rendi turns up in the Village of Clear Sky one day after emerging from a merchant's wagon (he was hiding there and going who knows where). He becomes a chore boy at the village inn, a...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Ann Carpenter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

A companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, I sort of wish I'd re-read the previous book before reading this one. Granted this is a companion and not a sequel, but there were some things that were familiar, such as Magistrate Tiger and the wise old sage (is he the same as the one from the first book?). I had read a comment in another review about Mr. Shan, and I wish that I had not because it meant that I had a fairly good idea what one of the surprises was going to be, and I wish th...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Erin Reilly-Sanders rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairytale, fiction, fantasy, illustrated, juvenile, multicultural

This book was so lovely. It's a rather simple tale that weaves together stories in a way oddly reminiscent of American Born Chinese and A Monster Calls (at least in the skill with which it is done) but with the tenderness of The Underneath. It maintains an incredibly pleasing mythic sense where it doesn't feel like a retold fairytale but links into several common Chinese myths that likely aren't very familiar to American audiences. I've only seen the ARC so far but I expect the final version to...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Betsy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I remember when Grace Lin first started writing chapter books for kids. She'd been doing picture books (mostly for others) for years and when at last she started creating small semi-fictionalized memoirs based on her own experiences she ended up tapping into a kind of 21st century need for books with a realistic "classic" (forgive the phrase) feel. The sideways shift into fully illustrated full-color folktale-based fiction felt simultaneously like a throwback to a long-forgotten era (particularl...more I remember when Grace Lin first started writing chapter books for kids. She'd been doing picture books (mostly for others) for years and when at last she started creating small semi-fictionalized memoirs based on her own experiences she ended up tapping into a kind of 21st century need for books with a realistic "classic" (forgive the phrase) feel. The sideways shift into fully illustrated full-color folktale-based fiction felt simultaneously like a throwback to a long-forgotten era (particularly when you consider how few straight folktales are published these days) and a very hip and modern mix-and-meld of text and image and tale. The gamble paid off (they don't throw Newbery Awards at every book that meanders down the pike after all) and now, years later, Ms. Lin returns with yet another folktale/fiction retelling. She can no longer claim the small unnoticed status she once enjoyed. Not if she keeps writing books as good as this one anyway.

This wasn't part of the plan. Not the way he envisioned it, anyway. When Rendi hid in the wine merchant's traveling cart he naturally assumed it would take him somewhere big and populated. The last thing he expected was to be dumped in the middle-of-nowhere Village of Clear Sky. Now a chore boy in the only inn in the vicinity, Rendi takes his frustrations out on the inhabitants. It isn't until a mysterious and beautiful lady appears telling strange tales that he finds himself wrapped up in a mystery that may answer a twin problems: The location of the moon that disappeared several nights ago and the reason that only Rendi can hear unknown groans and moans on the night wind.

Though I knew walking in that the book wasn't going to be a sequel to Lin's Newbery Honor winning title Where the Mountain Meets the Moon I wasn't prepared for the overlapping elements that connect the two books. Interestingly both books have the same villain, though as before he is seen off-screen and mostly in retrospect. Magistrate Tiger isn't your standard stock villain, though. He has his moments of softness, if not goodness. These moments serve to make him far more interesting that the countless two-dimensional baddies that populate so many of our children's books. Other connections exist as well. The old man of the mountain with his book who was so sought after in "Where the Mountain" may indeed make an appearance in the second as well. And then there's a certain killer tiger . . .

As with Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (and even her works of realistic fiction, for that matter) Lin peppers her tale with classic Chinese folktales, adapted and reconstructed to serve the story. Yet unlike her other book Ms. Lin's stories here are becoming increasingly sophisticated. They all engage in a cyclical pattern. Seemingly unconnected at the start, every tale refers back to its teller in some way, and some even double back to tell stories that lead directly into tales already heard. By the time you reach the end you realize that no tale exists entirely by itself and that the key to the mystery and the solution to the story lies in remembering each tale. The crazy thing is that even as the book does this it appears on the outset to just be this sweet and simple children's story. Fair play to Lin's mad plotting skills then.

With its subdued cover and literary title, this is probably going to have to be one of those books that need to be talked up to get kids interested. The already existing Lin converts who ate up all her Pacy titles and devoured Where the Mountain Meets the Moon will naturally gravitate to the book anyway. For the others, it may take a little finagling. Fortunately a booktalk for this title basically writes itself. All you have to do is mention a boy with a mysterious path on the run, magic toads, bandits and kidnap attempts, thwarted lovers, tricking people into eating snails, and a mysterious being that moans in misery and pain but can only be heard by our hero and voila! Instant if not interest then curiosity.

When an author for children is good from the get-go it can sound like a bit of backhanded praise to say that they've improved over the years. Ms. Lin has always been an accomplished author and her plots have certainly always worked. Yet with Starry River of the Sky she cranks up the quality an additional notch or two. Perfectly planned and wholly original, she delivers her best novel for kids yet. It just works.(less)

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Jan 07, 2013 Cliff rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Grace Lin had written another book as a follow-up to
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Very much reminiscent of her Newbery Honor novel, we are again treated to the story of a child who learns through a series of folklore-inspired tales. And again, I was swept away by the story. The only thing that held this book back is that Rendi's tale both begins and ends rather ambiguously. The story begins with Rendi as a stowaway on a wine merchant's cart. But we a...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Tanja rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: chn-fantasy

Don't miss meeting a runaway boy and a village of the most interesting characters, all in search of something and ultimately united in their quest in returning the lost moon to the village! A total gem of a book in every aspect: the look and feel of the hardcover print edition, the delicate illustrations, the beautiful writing, poetic yet not overbearing, lots of gently interwoven Chinese wisdom, traditional tales and more - you will experience pure joy from when you hold the book for the first...more

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Jun 02, 2013 RLL595ag_GlennJacobson rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mc-literature

As a prequel to the Newbery Honor by Grace Lin, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, I had high expectations for this book. For me the story started out rather slow, with the only parallel between this and the companion book was the story telling within the story. More time was spent early in the book for character development, but for good reason. Lin almost secretly foreshadows the true identities and intentions of her characters through the short stories and the characters' interactions. While...more

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May 15, 2013 Josiah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"It is better to light a lantern than to bemoan the darkness."

—Madame Chang, Starry River of the Sky, P. 87

Grace Lin has blazed her own unique trail in the dense forest of literature for kids, making new use of ancient Chinese fables that date back to thousands of years B.C. As she herself found out after growing up with less than a keen interest in the fables of her family's Chinese culture, there is much to learn from these old stories, indispensable truths to grasp about the nature of huma...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Li-hsin rated it 4 of 5 stars

On my journey home to Taiwan, while flying over Where the Ocean Meets the Sky, i finished the first middle grade ARC from the BEA pile. Like the Newbery honor "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon," Grace Lin weaves together timeless Chinese folktales and fables in this companion book through the journey of a young protagonist, who discovers these stories from the off-the-beaten-path inn he stumbles in, the colorful people he meets there, and the strange events surrounding that place. Towards the e...more

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Sep 02, 2012 Erica rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, 2012, american, chinese, folklore, juvenile-fiction

Book talk: What would you do if the moon went missing and you were the only one who could hear its cries? Rendi is surprised that no one else seems to mind the missing moon or hear its moans at night--but what can he possibly do about it? Maybe once he could have got someone to help, but now he's on his own. After being caught as a stowaway he's stuck working as a chore boy at a small inn in the middle of nowhere. He doesn't want the inn's guests to think he's crazy and the inn keeper's daughter...more Book talk: What would you do if the moon went missing and you were the only one who could hear its cries? Rendi is surprised that no one else seems to mind the missing moon or hear its moans at night--but what can he possibly do about it? Maybe once he could have got someone to help, but now he's on his own. After being caught as a stowaway he's stuck working as a chore boy at a small inn in the middle of nowhere. He doesn't want the inn's guests to think he's crazy and the inn keeper's daughter doesn't like him anymore than he likes her. But when a mysterious new guest arrives and starts telling stories suddenly the sleepy town turns into a bed of action. With mysterious toads, kidnappers, and fights over snails, Rendi realizes that he is in the middle of an exciting story of his own--and it's up to him to make sure it ends happily.

Much like Lin's Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, this novel has short stories placed throughout the main narrative. They are set apart by a different font and special headers and they are positively enchanting. The main narrative in this story has more meat to it though and I loved the way all the characters' separate stories were revealed and connected. Each character has lessons to learn before the moon can be restored to its rightful place and they are all touchingly portrayed. The character who makes the biggest progress however is, as it should be, the protagonist Rendi. He doesn't start out as a like-able character but through the course of the novel he finds himself letting his guard down and changing in spite of himself. This sets the novel apart, especially for one aimed at such a young audience, and I admire Lin for making Rendi the lead. The novel is illustrated throughout and even the rough versions in my advance reading copy are beautiful. I can't wait to see the final versions when the book is published--I'm sure they'll be a real treat. Of course the language is as beautiful as the illustrations--this a book to own and store proudly on your shelf and take down for multiple re-readings at bedtime.

I'd recommend this to fans of fairy tales looking for a chapter book to read. Those with an interest in Chinese culture and folklore will be particularly interested in this book. Fans of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon will be delighted by Lin's latest. It would make a good read aloud for younger children but for independent reading I'd save it for 3rd graders and up.

Read more of my reviews at: http://auldschoollibrarian.blogspot.com/(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Áine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-so-far, middle-school-fiction

Rendi is on the run from his home when he starts working at an inn at the Village of Clear Sky, and the moon is missing from the sky; at night, he hears the sky moaning for it. When a mysterious storyteller arrives at the inn, she begins to tell stories about the moon, and Rendi begins to tell stories about the home he left behind. Through the stories, Rendi begins to piece together how the moon came to fall from the sky, and how they can each find their way home. Fans of Where the Mountain Meet...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Sue Cowing rated it 5 of 5 stars

Grace Lin has done it again, but even better. In this companion book to her prize-winning WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, she follows the same scheme of weaving traditional tales into a larger original story. This time the characters and their dilemmas are even more convincing and compelling. I turned the pages quickly to find out what would happen, then went back at leisure to enjoy the illustrations , which are, in a word, gorgeous. Some are literal illustrations of the story, but the ones...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars

Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2012
Folklore/Realistic Fiction
304 pages
Recommended for grades 4-6

Grace Lin has a talent for weaving Chinese folklore so seamlessly into the story of runaway Rendi. When Rendi finds himself stuck working for the owner of a small inn he is reluctant to open up or show any warmth towards the owner or his young daughter. When a mysterious woman books many nights at the inn Rendi (and readers) are treated to her stories of Chinese folklore. Through listening and...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Shoshana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens, fairy-tales, fantasy, literary, transcends, amazing-illustrations

I love Grace Lin so much! I love the way she adapts the heart of folktales into something contemporary, magical, relevant, touching, and above all absolutely absorbing. I love the whimsical nature of her storytelling, but the way it's anchored in a deep and living mythology. I love the story of Renli and I love even more the little girl whose name I forget. The side characters are wonderful, the setting practically a character in itself, and the illustrations enchanting. It's hard to compare it...more

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Apr 13, 2013 Ardemment_Reader rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is the story of Rendi. A boy who travels around in merchant carts, finding his way to the perfect life. When Rendi comes upon the village of Clear Sky, Rendi notices something, the moon is missing. As he works at an inn, he learns the secret of the moon and the meaning of family. Along the way he meets his best friend Peiyi, the young daughter of the innkeeper, and Madame Chang, a mysterious storyteller who helps Rendi find himself with the power of storytelling.

I really liked this bo...more

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title link	preview: Starry River of the Sky
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Starry River of the Sky

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