1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve. 1999. THE TOP OF THE WORLD: CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST. New York: Houghton Mifflin . ISBN 0395942187
2. PLOT SUMMARY
What do you need to know if you want to climb Mt. Everest? Jenkins takes the reader on a journey to climb Everest which begins with background information on the mountain itself (its location, how tall it is, how it was formed, its religious significance to the inhabitants of the region, etc.). He continues by describing the attempts of early mountaineers who sought to reach the top, the gear one would need to make the attempt, and the mountain features a climber would encounter on the way up, such as the Khumbu Icefall and the animals and plants of the lower elevations. The dangers encountered along the way make reaching the summit especially exciting.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The facts presented in this picture book are varied and interesting. Several short paragraphs are presented on each two-page spread, each with its own title and accompanying illustration. The very last page of the book includes a comparison chart of the tallest mountain on each continent, records from Everest (up through January, 1999), additional websites, and a bibliography. Unfortunately, this volume did not include any information about the author or the art. While there is no table of contents, the headings of the paragraphs help the reader locate information if he’s willing to flip through the entire book to find particular facts. Rather than being a book that would be appropriate for research, this volume is more appropriate for pleasure reading by a child who is interested in mountains. It makes a great introduction to the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest.
The illustrations appear to be made from cut and torn handmade papers and fibers which give each page texture and interest. Different colors of papers layered on each other give a 3-D appearance. The fibers which create the snow and clouds are particularly interesting. The fact that all the equipment is also cut from paper is amazing – the detail is surprising. An older reader would enjoy analyzing the illustrations along with reading about Everest.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
*The Bulletin: “An invigorating and fact-filled look at the great peak.”
*Horn Book, starred review: “Mount Everest may be imposing, but Steve Jenkins takes its measure in a strikingly executed picture book. . . .From start to finish, Jenkins has created a breathtaking tour-de-force.”
*School Library Journal, starred review: “Readers will cheer with the climber illustrated on the summit and want to go back and pore over the details in the words and pictures again. . . [an] excellent example of pictorial nonfiction.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Check out the additional websites on Mt. Everest. The websites listed in the book are no longer in existence, but there are plenty more that are, including http://www.mnteverest.net/ , and www.nationalgeographic.com/everest .
*Social Studies teachers might find this to be a good source of additional reading for a unit on world geography. English Language Learners in particular will find this volume accessible.
*Art students would enjoy looking at the illustrations and trying to create similar illustrations of their own on a topic of interest to them. Using torn and cut paper creates interesting effects that would be fun to mimic.
Jenkins, Steve. 1999. THE TOP OF THE WORLD: CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST. New York: Houghton Mifflin . ISBN 0395942187
2. PLOT SUMMARY
What do you need to know if you want to climb Mt. Everest? Jenkins takes the reader on a journey to climb Everest which begins with background information on the mountain itself (its location, how tall it is, how it was formed, its religious significance to the inhabitants of the region, etc.). He continues by describing the attempts of early mountaineers who sought to reach the top, the gear one would need to make the attempt, and the mountain features a climber would encounter on the way up, such as the Khumbu Icefall and the animals and plants of the lower elevations. The dangers encountered along the way make reaching the summit especially exciting.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The facts presented in this picture book are varied and interesting. Several short paragraphs are presented on each two-page spread, each with its own title and accompanying illustration. The very last page of the book includes a comparison chart of the tallest mountain on each continent, records from Everest (up through January, 1999), additional websites, and a bibliography. Unfortunately, this volume did not include any information about the author or the art. While there is no table of contents, the headings of the paragraphs help the reader locate information if he’s willing to flip through the entire book to find particular facts. Rather than being a book that would be appropriate for research, this volume is more appropriate for pleasure reading by a child who is interested in mountains. It makes a great introduction to the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest.
The illustrations appear to be made from cut and torn handmade papers and fibers which give each page texture and interest. Different colors of papers layered on each other give a 3-D appearance. The fibers which create the snow and clouds are particularly interesting. The fact that all the equipment is also cut from paper is amazing – the detail is surprising. An older reader would enjoy analyzing the illustrations along with reading about Everest.
4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
*The Bulletin: “An invigorating and fact-filled look at the great peak.”
*Horn Book, starred review: “Mount Everest may be imposing, but Steve Jenkins takes its measure in a strikingly executed picture book. . . .From start to finish, Jenkins has created a breathtaking tour-de-force.”
*School Library Journal, starred review: “Readers will cheer with the climber illustrated on the summit and want to go back and pore over the details in the words and pictures again. . . [an] excellent example of pictorial nonfiction.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*Check out the additional websites on Mt. Everest. The websites listed in the book are no longer in existence, but there are plenty more that are, including http://www.mnteverest.net/ , and www.nationalgeographic.com/everest .
*Social Studies teachers might find this to be a good source of additional reading for a unit on world geography. English Language Learners in particular will find this volume accessible.
*Art students would enjoy looking at the illustrations and trying to create similar illustrations of their own on a topic of interest to them. Using torn and cut paper creates interesting effects that would be fun to mimic.
No comments:
Post a Comment