基础信息
作者&插画师：Grace Lin 林珮思，美籍华裔作家，把中国传统神话、民间故事重新改写为英文儿童奇幻小说。
核心人物：
‑ Minli（敏俐）：勇敢、充满好奇心的小女孩，住在贫瘠的“苦山”脚下，家境贫穷。
‑ Ba & Ma：敏俐的爸爸妈妈，爸爸擅长讲古老神话故事，妈妈终日忧愁生活困苦。
‑ Dragon（金龙）：不能飞翔的神龙，善良忠诚，成为Minli旅途最重要伙伴。
‑ Old Man of the Moon 月下老人：传说知晓世间所有命运的老者。
小女孩Minli居住在荒凉贫瘠的苦山山脚，家里十分贫苦。妈妈总是为艰难的生活发愁，爸爸每晚给她讲述古老的民间传说。听闻传说中月下老人可以改写命运，为了改变家庭的穷困命运，Minli毅然告别家人，独自踏上充满奇遇的冒险旅途。
路上她救下一条没有翅膀、无法飞天的金龙，一人一龙结伴同行。一路上他们遇见会说话的鲤鱼、孤儿男孩、强盗、被遗忘的城市，经历重重考验，见识善与恶、谎言与真诚。千辛万苦终于找到月下老人，Minli才懂得：命运并非依靠神仙改写，幸福不在远方，勇气、感恩与身边的爱，才是真正改变生活的力量。故事融合大量中国传统神话元素，文字优美，充满东方温情。
写作画风：童话奇幻叙事，大量诗意描写，穿插短篇民间小故事，语言优美，既有冒险情节，又蕴含东方人生哲理。
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Today I will share the wonderful Newbery Honor book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, written by Grace Lin.
This is a magical Chinese‑inspired fairy tale. Our main character is a brave little girl named Minli. She lives at the foot of the Fruitless Mountain. The land is dry and poor. Her family barely has enough food to live.
Minli’s mother is always sad and worried about their hard life. But her father tells her old, wonderful folk tales every night. One story talks about the Old Man of the Moon. It is said that this mysterious old man holds the threads of everyone’s fate. He can change people’s destiny.
Hoping to bring good fortune to her family, Minli makes a bold decision. She leaves her home and sets off on a long dangerous journey to find the Old Man of the Moon.
On her adventure, Minli meets a great golden Dragon. Surprisingly, this dragon cannot fly. Minli frees him from a trap, and Dragon becomes her loyal friend. Together, they travel across mountains and rivers.
Along the way, they meet many strange characters: talking fish, clever orphans, tricky robbers, and people from forgotten cities. They face puzzles, dangers and unexpected kindness. Every step teaches Minli new lessons about life.
After countless hardships, Minli finally reaches the place where the Old Man of the Moon lives. She eagerly asks him to rewrite her family’s bad fate.
Yet the wise old man tells her a powerful truth. Fortune and happiness cannot simply be given by magic. Fate is not something you only find far away. True joy comes from gratitude, courage, love and the people beside you.
Minli understands. She returns home with Dragon. Though their material life does not instantly turn rich, the whole family finds peace and hope inside their hearts.
This beautiful story tells us: do not only chase fortune from the outside world. Look for happiness deep within yourself.
重点单词 Key Words
fate /feɪt/ n.命运
destiny /ˈdestəni/ n.宿命，际遇
fortune /ˈfɔːtʃuːn/ n.好运，财富
mysterious /mɪˈstɪəriəs/ adj.神秘的
loyal /ˈlɔɪəl/ adj.忠诚的
folk‑tale /ˈfəʊk teɪl/ n.民间故事
gratitude /ˈɡrætɪtjuːd/ n.感恩，感激
hardship /ˈhɑːdʃɪp/ n.苦难，艰辛
bold /bəʊld/ adj.勇敢的，果敢的
puzzle /ˈpʌzl/ n.谜题，难题
重点词组 & 短语 Phrases
1. at the foot of the mountain 在山脚下
2. set off on a journey 踏上一段旅程
3. hold the threads of fate 掌管命运丝线
4. bring good fortune 带来好运
5. free sb from trap 将某人从困境中解救
6. along the way 一路上
7. countless hardships 无数艰难困苦
8. rewrite one’s fate 改写某人的命运
9. come from within yourself 源自你的内心
10. barely have enough food 勉强糊口
经典佳句 Original Quotes
1. “Happiness is not found in something far away, but in what you already have.”
幸福不在遥远的地方，而在于你已经拥有的一切。
2. “Fate is not a thread to be changed by others. It is woven by your own choices.”
命运不是交由他人更改的丝线，它由你自己的选择编织而成。
3. “Courage is not having no fear. It is moving forward even when you are afraid.”
勇气不是毫无畏惧，而是心怀恐惧依旧向前。
4. “Sometimes the greatest treasure you seek is the one you left behind at home.”
有时候你苦苦追寻的至宝，正是你留在家里的东西。
5. “Stories can feed the heart, even when food cannot fill the stomach.”
即便食物填不饱肚子，故事依然可以滋养心灵。