Sometimes I Dance Mountains

by Byrd Baylor, Bill Sears (Photographer), Ken Longtemps (Drawings)

Through photographs and explanatory text, the author captures the motions of a young dancer and the importance of individual expression and freedom in dancing

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

48 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1973

About the author

Byrd Baylor has always lived in the Southwest, mainly in Southern Arizona near the Mexican border. She is at home with the southwestern desert cliffs and mesas, rocks and open skies. She is comforted by desert storms. The Tohono O’odham people, previously known as the Papagos, are her neighbors and close friends. She has focused many of her writings on the region’s landscape, peoples, and values. Through her books of rhythmic prose poetry, written primarily for children, she celebrates the beauty of nature and her own feelings of rapport with it.
Byrd has written many books for children.

Her books have been honored with many prestigious children’s book awards, including the Caldecott Award and the Texas Bluebonnet Award. All of her books are full of the places and the peoples that she knows. She thinks of these books as her own kind of private love songs to the place she calls home.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book found me today.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great share-with-a-child book. Of course you don't have to be a child to dance mountains. Sometimes I dance sunshine or wind, or joy or sorrow.
The black/white photos/illustrations may be a bit "drab" for today's children who've been raised in a 3-D virtual environment, but the photos of the girl dancing are inspiring and the words are amazing. Perhaps as you read, your child(ren) can dance along!
Update--I remember reading this to my children and having them dance. Recently the teacher in a Kindergarten class read this book aloud and I helped the children move creatively along with the descriptions. We had a wonderful time!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story stirs the imagination--most all children will want to use creative dance for self-expression. The illustrations were not as exciting as the story. I wouldn't miss reading this to a child, but most likely I wouldn't add it to our "read this over and over again, grandma" books. :-)

[Nirrvana · Rating 5 out of 5]

fond memories of my childhood. wonderful book!