School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-5Various aspects of mountain ecosystems in the western U.S., from "Avalanche" to "Mountain goats zip up the zigzagging trail" are explored in this alphabetically arranged book. Each page features a detailed painting along with a simple, somewhat alliterative text. Wildlife and plants are particularly well rendered in the pictures; each one features texture and line that give a sense of the stark beauty of the area. Value is used throughout to highlight the sunlight and shadows created by clouds, mountain shade, moving water, and shifting daylight. An author's foreword sets an appropriate tone for a "hike" through these ranges and an informational alphabet at the end describes the scenes in more detail. Along with Jean Craighead George's One Day in the Alpine Tundra (Crowell, 1984), Diane Siebert's Sierra (HarperCollins, 1991), and Ron Hirschi's One Day on Pika's Peak (Dodd, 1986; o.p.), this book will help young readers to explore this ecosystem. However, it can cause some confusion. For example, in the picture for the letter "d," along with the deer, daisies, and dandelions mentioned in the text, there are ducks, not mentioned, and also a spider web, some fungi on a fallen log, and a bear. In the list of alphabetized items at the end of the book, children learn that they were to have figured out "design" for the spider web, "dead fall" and "decomposing material" for the fungus on the log, and "digging bear," all of which stretch beyond the comprehension of most young ecologists. While this title provides a valuable resource, it will need adult intervention to help youngsters "read" the pictures so that they can get the most out of it.Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, Laramie (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
For each letter, a sentence describes the mountain scene depicted in the illustration: 'Jason joins Jesse for a jog among the junipers.' At the back of the book is a list of items that can be identified in the pictures, some of which would be nearly impossible to find without the list. Neither the text nor the artwork, which contains some awkward human figures, fully does justice to the majesty of the mountains. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
