Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Books

Read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Starry River of the Sky, and When the Sea Turned to Silver in publication order. Each follows a different child and tells a complete story, so there is no required plot sequence, but recurring characters and legends reward reading them this way.

These are companion novels rather than an officially numbered trilogy. The numbers on this page provide a clear publication order; they do not mean that Starry River is a direct sequel to Minli's story.

Sources: Grace Lin's explanation of the two companion novels, Hachette's official third companion page.

These are gentle, hopeful fantasies, but the quests begin with hardship: poverty and family tension, abandonment and loneliness, or a grandmother kidnapped by soldiers. Children face threatening rulers, dangerous creatures, separation, grief, and moments of peril.

Grace Lin's full-color art and stories-within-stories make the books especially rewarding as family read-alouds. The novels draw inspiration from Chinese folktales while emphasizing generosity, gratitude, courage, and the power of stories to connect people.