Sierra: A Breathtaking Award-Winning Picture Book About the Personified Mountain for Children (Ages 4-8) (Trophy Picture Books

by Diane Siebert, Wendell Minor (Illustrations)

"In this celebration of the American landscape, Siebert's measured verses convey the majesty of the mountain personified, Sierra herself. Minor's stunning acrylic paintings evoke the breathtaking beauty of his subject. There is a siren's-song quality to this lovely book [and] readers might well feel how tragically possible it is for us to love our wilderness to death." -- SLJ. 1992 Teachers' Choices (IRA)
Notable 1991 Children's Trade Books in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 1991 (NSTA/CBC)
John and Patricia Beatty Award (California Library Association)

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Nature, Environment, Science

32 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1991

About the author

Diane Siebert is the author of Mojave, a 1988 Booklist Children’s Editors’ Choice, a 1988 Notable Children’s Trade Book in Social Studies, and a 1989 Teachers Choice, and Heartland , a 1989 Booklist Children’s Editors’ Choice, a 1989 Notable Children’s Trade Book in Social Studies, and a 1990 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts. Ms. Siebert lives at Crooked River Ranch, Oregon.

Reviews

[CanadianReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am the mountain,
Tall and grand.
And like a sentinel I stand.

This is an impressive picture book. It consists of beautiful artwork and an extended poem in rhyming couplets in which a mountain in the Sierra Nevada range speaks to the reader in the first person. The massive landform talks of geological time—the plates that shifted below the Earth’s crust ten million years ago to create it, the glaciers that carved and polished its surface, and the warmth that caused the ice to retreat.

The mountain feels “the pull of life and death.” It observes that the untamed birds and beasts, walking on or flying above its slopes, live according to “the laws of predator and prey.” Personified as tender, wise, and impartial, the mountain shelters vulnerable creatures (pika, squirrels, chipmunks and deer) and accepts the ways of those that hunt. Owls, eagles, hawks, bobcats, bears, and coyotes exist “to keep the balance on the land,” acting in ways “untouched by right or wrong.”

The poem touches on the water and forest fire cycles and the effect of Pacific storms on the life of the mountain, which like all things on Earth changes and ages—in its case, through erosion. The mountain speaks with trepidation of a new force acting on it—man—whose impact is not yet clear.

The poem, full of fine examples of onomatopoeia, alliteration, metaphor, and personification, is accompanied by fifteen of artist Wendell Minor’s stunning paintings of the land and wildlife of the Sierra Nevadas.

Sierra is a lovely book, recommended for those who teach creative writing to older children and adolescents.

[Sierra Siminuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

For most children’s picture books, the illustrations tend to be child-like and simple. However, the illustrations in this novel are the exact opposite, as they are beautiful paintings full of incredible detail. Additionally, this picture book is somewhat a narrative, although relatively less so than the majority of other picture books for children. As a result, the three stars are given for the fact that some children might be lost as they are reading this book, or having this book read to them. The book is written through the point of view of a mountain, which is something that might interest a child, as personification is a strategy that can be utilized to gather their interest. They know that mountains do not talk or have feelings, and as a result, are intrigued by what the mountain might say. In addition, this book is a collection of poems about the beauty and majestic quality of the Sierra Nevada. Due to this fact, this book is suited more towards older elementary-aged children, as younger children, such as kindergarteners and 1st graders, might feel lost regarding the language and details written in the poetry, albeit it is definitely gorgeous. Despite this, the younger elementary-aged children will still understand the natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada, as well as just the natural world in general. Although this poem can not be considered a nonsense book, there are aspects within this book that can be related to the genre, as this book employs a “playful tension between sense and non-sense,” (Heyman and Shortsleeve, 133). Mountains can not act like humans. The substantial personification throughout this book details the similarities between this book and pieces of literature that are considered “nonsense” works, such as the work of Edward Lear.

[Jc · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful book about one of the world's most beautiful regions.

[Lu Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly breathtaking book, in word and image! My husband and I have read it many times and our kids enjoy it, too. I hope it will be read, some day in the distant future, at my funeral, because the poem shares much more than the geology of the Sierras but also the interdependent ecosystem.

[Cana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mommy says: Neither of my kids liked this long poem about the geologic history of the Sierra mountain range. Halfway through page one, they were up off the sofa and playing with their toys. (Normally, they sit still for the whole book, every book.) The poetry was kind of annoying & sing songy. Much of the art was reaching pretty hard for a level of realism that the artist couldn't quite achieve.

[Allie Tully · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Sierra" is a useful book to use with young readers in learning about geography and landscapes. This book goes into great detail about the geography of mountain ranges and even shares information relating to science on habitats and wildlife. This would be an appropriate book to read with first to fourth grade. The strong imagery and vocabulary would be beneficial to both readers and listeners.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

the history of the sierra told in verse by a mountain. had michener or george stewart written poetry i imagine this is how it would read.

[Chris Jamison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Children's Illustrated
Waldenbooks Best Children's Book Award Honor winner