Starry River of the Sky

Grace Lin's 2010 Newbery Honor book "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" was my favorite chapter book aimed at 8-12 year-olds to come out in 2010. So when I discovered that Lin was working on a companion novel, "Starry River of the Sky," I was both utterly excited  and a tad bit nervous.

I was enlivened by the possibility of another book that could successfully weave together a protagonist and plot from the long past, traditional Chinese folklore, and a very modern melding of multiple narrative voices and intricate and beautiful images. And truth be told, I was anxious that Lin couldn't possibly replicate such a feat.

My apprehension was of course, unfounded. Not only does "Starry River of the Sky" wonderfully pull together all of these elements, but it does so in a manner that, as a companion should, builds on rather than recycles these features. The Folklore and storytelling for instance, don't just shed light on the main character, but instead become the tools he must use to complete his inward journey. And unlike "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon," "Starry River of the Sky" is predominantly, an inward journey.

The individual at the center of the odyssey is  Rendi,  a sour-puss and stowaway young boy that is dumped in the remote village of Clear Sky. Working as the chore boy at the lone Inn, he is unwillingly drawn into the lives and problems of the Village including a missing moon, feuding neighbors and much more. However, when a mysterious woman with a gift for story telling arrives at the Inn, the truth about Rendi, the sky, and so much more is slowly drawn out and together from a tapestry of stories and folklore altering the Village and everyone in it.

Altogether, Grace Lin's "Starry River of the Sky" is like a fantastic meal. It presents both individual ingredients that beg to be savored as well as a whole that will leave any age satiated and satisfied.