Have you ever slowed down at the end of a book because you don’t want the story to end?

I have. I’ve been putting off listening to the end of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (narrated by Janet Song) because I’ve been enjoying it so much.

Magical landscapes include immortal beings, a dragon that can’t fly born under mysterious circumstances, and a girl on quest to make a better life for herself and her family. The book intertwines stories to create a larger one.

I both can and can’t believe that it’s taken me so long to read this book. I’ve known of it’s excellence since it was published over ten years ago. And yet there are so many books and stories in the world…

The first Grace Lin book I read and immediately fell in love with is her picture book A Big Mooncake for Little Star. The art and story combined touch my wild heart deeply. A Big Bed for Little Snow is similar, but doesn’t pull on my heart in the same way.

Then, a few months ago I listened to Chinese Menu (narrated by Lisa Ling) I loved both the concept for this book as well as the stories within.

The book is structured around a typical American Chinese menu. The stories are about popular food items found on a menu and the origins of that food. Some foods have ancient and legendary origins (involving dragons and mystical beings), some historical (like Generals Tso’s Chicken), and some are much more recent (like chow mein).

The book starts with stories about appetizers and various soups; next are stories about rice and noodles. Later come stories about entrees and desserts.

The real treasure I think, is learning how all of this food integrates with the American experience of immigrants bringing their food to their new land and sharing it with others (along with stories). Chinese American food is uniquely American, and I have a much better understanding of that now from having read this book. (It also gives me an even deeper understanding of Janet Wong’s Apple Pie, Fourth of July.)

But back to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon – it’s a wonder-filled story. It even has fish that can find people capable of hearing their stories. I need to finish it, so I can find out what happens.