Book Review by Allie Davis
SLIS 5603 Literature for Children and Young Adults
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve. The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 1999. ISBN 0395942187
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In the nonfiction picture book, On Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest, facts and information are adequately presented in typical Steve Jenkins style. He encourages curiosity through pictures and straightforward, direct essential facts. Interest is created through reader desire to learn more about topics that are encountered while reading the book. Critical thinking is developed through the connection of various curriculums such as science, math, geography, and reading.
Jenkins's fact are reliable and knowledgeable, his Bibliography taken from 8 sources listed at the back of the book. Also included at the back of the book is a list of verifiable records and statistics related to the conquest of Mount Everest itself. All the statistics are easily verified as well. No stereotypes are obvious in the writing as Jenkins is straightforward and kid-friendly with his terminology. He does not water down the information, but rather words it in understandable phrasing that readers will appreciate. The information he includes is the same as what is included in adult books on Mount Everest, including the oxygen tank dumping grounds and the scattered dead bodies of those who didn't survive the trek, but with age/grade appropriate illustrations to compliment the text.
One of the crowning achievements of this book is the sequence that is imposed. The book is organized in chronological ordering, beginning of to the end of the Mount Everest journey. There is a brief introduction to Mount Everest (history, facts, descriptions) leading into location, getting to the mountain, native people hikers will meet, continuing to the actual summit of the mountain. The design of the book is easy to follow and easy to read for even the youngest readers (4-7 years), using attractive construction paper collages and images (tents, maps, peaks, etc.) to describe the hike up Mount Everest. The facts are inviting in a non-frightening manner. An infographic is included of labeled pictures of the needed equipment for the journey which could be used to teach specific vocabulary words, if desired. Finally, an insert or sidebar is included on nearly every page to show exciting facts which are relevant to Everest or mountain climbing, in general, such as elevation at the camps, frostbite, and native animals. All-in-all, this book is an excellent way to present nonfiction to even the youngest readers in an interesting and exciting manner.
AWARDS
· School Library Journal Best Books of the Year (WON AWARD in 1999)
· American Library Association Notable Books for Children (WON AWARD in 2000)
· Bluebonnet Award (NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2001)
· Rhode Island Children's Book Award (NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2001)
· NCTE Orbis Pictus Award (NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2000)
· Beehive Children's Informational Book Award (NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2002)
· Prairie Pasque Award (NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2002)
· Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award (NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2002)
· Garden State Children's Book Awards (NOMINATED FOR AN AWARD in 2002)
· Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards (WON AWARD in 1999)
REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
· Library Journal, "A windfall of facts about Everest and the daring mountaineers who have attempted to reach its summit. Breathtaking cut-paper collages capture the dramatic vistas and the frightening realities of high-altitude climbs."© 2010
· Horn Book Magazine, "The book follows a logical sequence, beginning with the statistics (where it is, how tall, how it was formed, how to get there, who climbed it first) and continuing with a virtual climbing experience for the reader: "It takes a lot of special gear to climb Mount Everest. Here is some of the equipment you'll need"-a spread displaying a delicious array of impressive rig. By the time we have reached the summit on the last spread, we have gained an understanding of the thrills as well as the immense hardships involved in this climb. Jenkins doesn't avoid details of frost bite and lost fingers, or even the visible otter of used oxygen canisters and frozen bodies of climbers who succumbed to the altitude and had to be left on the mountain. On nearly every spread there is an inset or sidebar providing additional information about glaciers and avalanches, the culture of the Sherpas, why climbers need oxygen, and other facts that are of interest but would break the forward motion of the story..." © 2010
· Publishers Weekly, "Addressing readers as would-be Everest explorers, Jenkins's book is a compendium of historical info and practical tips, illustrated with stunning cut-paper collages." © April 29, 2002.
CONNECTIONS
Use as an introduction to units on Everest, China, Nepal, mountaineering, oxygen, or hiking.
Gather similar Mount Everest books to read such as:
· Hyde, Natalie. Conquering Everest. ISBN 0778711757· Brown, Tricia. You Wouldn't Want to Climb Mount Everest: A Deadly Journey to the Top of the World. ISBN 0531205053
· Carlson Berne, Emma. Summiting Everest. ISBN 0756547962
Gather more Steven Jenkins titles to read such as:
Link to author, Steve Jenkins: http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com/
· Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Animal Infographics. ISBN 0544630920
· Flying Frogs and Walking Fish. ISBN 0544630904· Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Animal Infographics. ISBN 0544630920
· How to Swallow a Pig. ISBN: 0544313658
Gather other Orbis Pictus Award titles to read such as:
· Sweet, Melissa. Some Writer@: The Story of E.B.White. ISBN 0544319591
· Brown, Don. Drowned City: Hurricane Katrina & New Orleans. ISBN 054415777X
· Fleming, Candace. The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia. ISBN 0375867821
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