I was lucky to pick up an advanced copy of this at ALA. I loved [b:Where the Mountain Meets the Moon|5983694|Where the Mountain Meets the Moon|Grace Lin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1344265026s/5983694.jpg|6157354], so I went into Starry River of the Sky with high expectations. Good news! It did not disappoint. It's the same world and style as When the Mountain Meets the Moon, but the story and (most of) the characters will be totally new to readers. This is definitely not a sequel. More of a companion book.

Rendi is a boy with secrets. Why is he on the run? Where are his parents? Why is he so angry all the time? And, strangest of all, why can he hear sad moans at night when others cannot? Maybe it's because the moon has gone missing from the sky...

We first meet Rendi as a stowaway on a merchant's cart. He gets caught and is forced to take a job as a chore boy at an inn in the tiny Village of Clear Sky. While working at the inn, Rendi meets a colorful assortment of characters: Madame Chang, a beautiful guest at the inn who's always telling stories, Mr. Shan, a confused old man with a long white beard, the innkeeper and his neighbor who are bitter enemies, and the innkeeper's daughter, Peiyi, to whom Rendi takes an instant dislike.

Grace Lin weaves folktales and mysteries together, making the reader feel like a detective trying to put all the pieces together. ( )

Grace Lin is going to end up one of my favorite fantasy authors (not even sure if she would consider herself a fantasy author). This and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon are just splendid children's books, and, I think, must-reads for anyone who enjoys fantastic stories based on folktales and myth. ( )

Rendi was not sure how long the moon had been missing. (first sentence)

"When people tell stories, they share things about themselves." (Madame Chang to Rendi, p. 264)

Runaway Rendi arrives at an inn in the Village of Clear Sky and becomes a chore boy, getting to know Master Chao, his daughter Peiyi, their neighbors Widow Yan and MeiLan, and guests Madame Chang and Mr. Shan. Through the stories Madame Chang and Rendi tell, readers gain clues into their true identities, as well as how the characters in Starry River of the Sky are connected to those in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and When the Sea Turned to Silver. The stories-within-the-story format is entrancing, and occasional full-color illustrations enhance this tale of the missing moon, Magistrate Tiger, rabbits and toads. ( )

What happened to the moon in the Village of Clear Sky? The central question in this delightful tale filled with Chinese folklore may only be answered by young Rendi, who hears the moon wailing at night. Author’s Note, Book List.

children's fiction. historic fic/cultural fic. I appreciate what Grace Lin does with the genre but it wasn't what I felt like reading at the time (and there were lots of other library patrons waiting in the queue for it). ( )