The Children's Book Club selection for June was Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin.This fairytale, set in medieval China, tells the tale of Minli and her quest for good fortune. Minli lives with her parents in a small village under the shadow of Fruitless Mountain, a barren behemoth that yields no food. The villagers spend their days planting enough rice to feed themselves and they can never "get ahead". Minli toils with her parents all day in the fields; her only true happiness is listening to her father's fairytales that he tells in the evenings. Minli's mother, however, views these stories as frivolous and is certain that they give Minli unrealistic ideas of what her life could be like.
Worn down by her mother's constant complaining, Minli decides to set off on her own in order to find her fortune from the Old Man on the Moon. Thus begins this thrilling tale filled with dragons, talking fish, magic threads, evil emperors, and action galore! This Kids Reading Across Rhode Island book (and Rooster Book nominee) is a modern classic.
Once again, there was no group consensus on this month's Book Club pick. A few members thought that the magical apsects of the story were really interesting, though maybe there were too many fairytales told by Minli's father. One member felt that the story jumped around too much and was a little confusing. Most members agreed that Minli's mother should not have been so unhappy with her life, as she had her daughter, husband, and the wonderful tales he told in order to keep her happy.
July's Children's Book Club selection is The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn. This Gothic-inspired ghost story is filled with suspense, action, and drama to spare!
