Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin

 Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin


  1. Bibliography

Lin, Grace. 2014. New York City, NY; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0316125970


  1. Plot Summary

Rendi is a little boy that runs away from home and finds himself working for an innkeeper. At the inn is the innkeeper’s daughter and a mysterious patron named Madame Chen. Madame Cheng tells Rendi stories that end up persuading him to create his own stories. Through the stories that Rendi tells, he is able to grow himself from a selfish boy, into a thoughtful young man.


  1. Critical Analysis (Including Cultural Markers)

This novel uses the traditional Chinese mode of storytelling to teach lessons and morals. The characters portray traditional Chinese culture, including symbolism, animals, names, and words generally found in Chinese stories. Specifically, we can see the presence of the moon and the power that the moon plays in not only this story, but more folklore stories similar to this one. The importance and power that the moon holds for the Chinese culture is very apparent in this story. 

Another example of traditional Chinese culture found in this book were the character’s names.  Rendi, Master Chao, Peiyi, and Madame Chang are just a few of the main characters with names that help to give a certain authenticity to this novel by using traditional names and referring to the adults with respectful titles such as Madame and Master.

Furthermore, this book helps portray cultural importance through the art of storytelling. It is an important pastime that can be seen time and time again. Through these stories, told by both adults and children, lessons and morals are taught generally through the actions of animals. This concept of learning lessons through storytelling seems to be an important act in the Chinese culture. 


  1. Review Excerpts

Publishers Weekly: "The lively mixture of adventure, mystery, and fantasy, supported by compelling character development and spellbinding language, will captivate a wide swath of readers."


School Library Journal: "This tight and cyclical plotting, combined with Lin's vibrant, full-color paintings and chapter decorations, creates a work that is nothing short of enchanting. Like the restored moon, Starry River outshines the previous work."


Booklist: "This mesmerizing companion to the Newbery Honor Book Where the Mountain Meets the Moon does not disappoint...Lin's writing is clear and lyrical, her plotting complex, and her illustrations magical, all of which make this a book to be savored."


  1. Connections

Lin, Grace. WHEN THE SEA TURNED TO SILVER. ISBN 0316125946.


Lin, Grace. WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON. ISBN 0316038636.

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