Ming Lo Moves the Mountain

by Arnold Lobel

Hardcover, 1982

Status

Available

Call number

ASIA

Genres

Children's Books

Publication

Greenwillow Books (1982), Edition: 1st, 32 pages

Description

A wise man tells Ming Lo how to move the mountain away from his house.

User reviews

LibraryThing member jbbarclay

Ming Lo and his wife built a house at the bottom of a mountain but everything disturbed their house, like the rocks, and the rain, and the shadows from the mountain. Ming Lo went to the man in the village to ask how to move the mountain, but none of the advice worked. Finally the man told Ming Lo

and his wife to pick up all their belongings and do a dance and set their belongings back down and rebuild their house. When they did the dance and rebuilt their house they noticed that the mountain had finally moved, although thats what they thought, but little did they know by doing the dance they had really moved away from the mountain.

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LibraryThing member sjg005

Ming Lo and his wife lived by a mountain. The mountain caused them a lot of trouble and his wife asked him to ask the wise man how to move the mountain. The wise man told him silly ways to move the mountain, which did not work. The last thing he told them was to pick up all their belongings and

dance backwards. The ended up far away from the mountain and were happy.

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LibraryThing member hcurrey

Arnold Lobel's warm, sweet illustrations and story are a fun read-aloud. Children enjoy the silliness and knowing what the magic dance really is. Second graders were able to articulate the philosophical concept of if you are unhappy, and nothing else works, maybe you need to change something about

yourself. This was read during a unit on ancient China, but it would also be a good book for an author study or writing to emulate.

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LibraryThing member cschne11

I really enjoyed the fable “Ming Lo Moves the Mountain” by Arnold Lobel. One reason that I enjoyed it is because of the cultural perspective that it depicts. The fable is set in China and the illustrations represent the geography, clothing, and architecture of the country. It is important that

students are exposed to stories set in cultures other than their own. In addition, the book uses subtle humor to keep the reader engaged. For instance, the characters try to bang on pots and pans to scare the mountain away, and then they think they moved the mountain by doing a dance when they really just walked away from it with their eyes closed. Children enjoy stories that they can laugh at, while still learning a lesson. Lastly, the illustrations used a lot of soft, pastel colors as to not take away from the text. The illustrations are large and interesting enough to add to the story, but they are not too distracting. The main idea of the story is that in order to get what you want, you must put forth effort, not expect solutions to fall right into place on their own.

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LibraryThing member beckie05

This story is about a couple who live beside a big mountain that is causing all sorts of problems. Shadows fall over their garden. Rocks fall through their roof. And it is always raining. Ming Lo’s wife tells him he must move the mountain. But how can a man as small as Ming Lo move something as

large as a mountain? After many failed visits to the wise man, the wise man finally gives him a solution that might work. Finally, the wise man instructs Ming Lo and his wife to take apart their home stick by stick, pack up all their belongings, face the mountain, and do a funny, backward dance with their eyes closed. After hours of dancing, Ming Lo and his wife open their eyes and see that the mountain has grown very small and far away.
I liked this book because it teaches common sense. It was very cute and the pictures were beautiful. After reading this story we can talk about what the Ming Los did to move a mountain. Also, my students can tell me who they go to when they need help with a problem.

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LibraryThing member GayWard

Ming Lo is asked by his wife to move the mountain because they love their house so much, he is told by the wise man to do many things, the last being to move his house.

LibraryThing member Craigrugby

This book contains a very classic and simple message about being able to change the things you can and accept the things you cannot change. The language, story, and illustrations are very simple, but the concept is not very concrete. This book could be used for older students who have a lower

reading level. This illustrations work well with the text. They are simple and placed on the page to give the story a natural flow with readers. The illustrations are not all the same size and they are placed around the text. For example, in once scene Ming Lo and his wife are beating on pots and pans to “scare the mountain” the illustrations show rocks falling and birds flying away, as if they were leaving the story completely.

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LibraryThing member wichitafriendsschool

The couple lives beside a big mountain which causes them no end of trouble. Shadows fall over their garden. Rocks fall through their roof. And it is always raining. "Husband," says Ming Lo's wife, "you must move the mountain so we may enjoy our house in peace." But how can a man as small as Ming Lo

move something as large as a mountain?

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