Mountains

Mountains, by Seymour Simon, 1994

Simon, Seymour. Mountains. New York: Morrow Junior Books, 1994. ISBN13: 978-0688154776

Ages 6 and up

Cover photo by Galen Rowell,
image from amazon.com

If you are familiar with the movie The Sound of Music, you probably can’t help humming or singing Mother Abess’ version of “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” as you read the book Mountains by Seymour Simon.

A multi-award winning author of non-fiction, science-based books for children, Simon takes readers around the globe on a remarkable journey to the tallest landforms on earth. In his text, which is well-organized and accessible for children and doesn’t talk down to them, he explains what mountains are, where they are found on our planet, how they are created, how they change over time, and what plant, animal, and human life is like on their slopes. Did you know that there are four different ways mountains are formed? And how tall does a mountain have to be to be called a mountain? The answer: it depends on how high its surroundings are.

Simon is also well-known for painstakingly choosing the photos and other visuals for his books, and this book is no exception. The photos are breath-taking, and the diagrams and drawings are easily understood. The author italicizes key vocabulary words and defines them in the text, and the photos and text are laid out in a simple, kid-friendly fashion. The endpapers give readers an added bonus – the world’s tallest mountains, juxtaposed, to show how they measure up to each other. The last page discusses the importance of mountains in our lives, and has a photo of a mountain climber on a summit looking over a range of mountains. It makes you want to be there.

Reading/writing/science connections:

•        This book and others by Simon and various authors could be used to hook students into interesting inquiry-based projects about landforms and their affects on human life.
•        Students could create inquiry-based projects about plant, animal, and human life on mountains around the world.
•        There are four different ways that mountains can be formed. Have student groups research one way, and create a 3-D model (or some other type of project) to show to classmates (NOW would be an acceptable time for a volcano demonstration!).
•        Somewhere on your school grounds, extend your students’ knowledge of mountains to erosion. Build up a pile of rocks, sand, and dirt. Pour water on it. Have students fan it with pieces of cardboard to simulate wind erosion. Over a period of days or weeks, see how long it takes to “bring down the mountain.”

Reviews:

“A fine companion to Simon's books on oceans, volcanoes, and deserts, this features spectacular photographs, including a few extraordinary double-page spreads that make faraway mountain ranges look like they're right in your own backyard.” – Booklist

“This book's spectacular full-color photographs will capture readers' attention and the text and well-designed diagrams will hold it.” – School Library Journal

“Through majestic photography and easy to understand text, the author offers a breathtaking view from peaks all over the world. Come read about and see some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.” – Children’s Literature

To learn more about Seymour Simon, his more than 250 books, and resources for educators, go to:

http://www.seymoursimon.com

To find out more about mountains, check out the website of The Mountain Institute:

http://www.mountain.org