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As Long As There Are Mountains
Thirteen-year-old Iris loves the northern Vermont hills where she and her family own a farm, but when their barn burns down and her father is injured in a logging accident, the family decides to sell the farm, leaving Iris determined to get her home and heart back. Reprint.
139 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
3 people are currently reading
83 people want to read
About the author
Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
26 books34 followersMy sister, three brothers, and I grew up on a Vermont dairy farm in a region known as the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, USA, where my Scottish ancestors settled almost two hundred years ago.
Our lives revolved around our church, our community, and the hard work of farming. Along with milking and feeding the animals each morning and evening, there was the work of each season: maple sugaring, plowing, picking stone, planting, haying, corn-cutting, harvest, cutting wood.
While my parents lives were consumed by farming and providing for their children, they managed to pass on much more to us. My mother, a teacher, instilled in us a love of books and reading, and a curiosity about everything, while my father, besides being an excellent athlete, has also encouraged our interest in the natural world, whether it was identifying birds, trees and wildflowers, or pointing out constellations on a starry night.
My book As Long As There Are Mountains is based on my childhood and my love of the farm, the land, and the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
Our lives revolved around our church, our community, and the hard work of farming. Along with milking and feeding the animals each morning and evening, there was the work of each season: maple sugaring, plowing, picking stone, planting, haying, corn-cutting, harvest, cutting wood.
While my parents lives were consumed by farming and providing for their children, they managed to pass on much more to us. My mother, a teacher, instilled in us a love of books and reading, and a curiosity about everything, while my father, besides being an excellent athlete, has also encouraged our interest in the natural world, whether it was identifying birds, trees and wildflowers, or pointing out constellations on a starry night.
My book As Long As There Are Mountains is based on my childhood and my love of the farm, the land, and the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 25, 2022
Not bad for an unexpected find
July 26, 2011
13 year old Iris loves the farm life she's always known and has never understood her older brother's need to escape it. When her father is injured in a freak accident, she learns what it means to face losing almost everything you hold dear. Can anything preserve their way of life?
Even as an adult this novel steals my heart. Great storytelling and well developed characters aside, the setting and circumstances are compelling and nostalgic.
The relationship between Iris and her brother Lucien is especially poignant, and I love that the romance in this story is between Iris and the farm. The author avoided any superfluous love stories and kept the focus where it belonged.
Even as an adult this novel steals my heart. Great storytelling and well developed characters aside, the setting and circumstances are compelling and nostalgic.
The relationship between Iris and her brother Lucien is especially poignant, and I love that the romance in this story is between Iris and the farm. The author avoided any superfluous love stories and kept the focus where it belonged.
September 4, 2022
You know how every so often you read a book and you just know that you would have loved it when you were younger?
Yeah, well, this is one of those books. Except I kind of love it now, too.
Reasons Why I Would Have Loved This When I Was Younger Even Though I Sort Of Love It Now, Too:
1) Anything to do with living a simple life or a life on the farm.
My favorite American Girl was Kirsten. I loved pioneer stories. And even though this isn't a pioneer story, it's still reminiscent of what I love. Iris is just living her life in 1950s Vermont, exploring the woods, doing chores on the farm, and rolling with life's punches.
2) AWESOME descriptions.
I was there. Enough said.
3) A protagonist who acts like a normal girl.
There were times my heart really went out to Iris, and there were times I was cracking up at the things she said. I loved that her goal/ambition in life was to run their farm someday, which was unheard of for the time. I loved how she was bold--just because she was thirteen didn't mean she had to act like a lady or enjoy those stupid lessons her stupid aunt gave. (Siderant: I wanted to smack Aunt Lurdine so bad. First of all--Lurdine? What kind of stupid name is that? Also? Worry about your own kid first before you go butting into everyone else's business. Another sign of a great author--when they can create a character you love to hate.) Anyway. The thing I loved most about Iris was that she had these strong, deep roots to the land and her farm. It's not often you see that in a YA novel. Most times, kids are trying to get out.
Overall, this might not be the most fast-paced book you'll ever read. There aren't any crazy twists or anything. What you'll find here is an incredibly well-written novel surrounding the lives of a cast of characters you'll grow to care about. The story is simple, yet entertaining, and the writing is beautiful. What more could you ask for?
Yeah, well, this is one of those books. Except I kind of love it now, too.
Reasons Why I Would Have Loved This When I Was Younger Even Though I Sort Of Love It Now, Too:
1) Anything to do with living a simple life or a life on the farm.
My favorite American Girl was Kirsten. I loved pioneer stories. And even though this isn't a pioneer story, it's still reminiscent of what I love. Iris is just living her life in 1950s Vermont, exploring the woods, doing chores on the farm, and rolling with life's punches.
2) AWESOME descriptions.
I was there. Enough said.
3) A protagonist who acts like a normal girl.
There were times my heart really went out to Iris, and there were times I was cracking up at the things she said. I loved that her goal/ambition in life was to run their farm someday, which was unheard of for the time. I loved how she was bold--just because she was thirteen didn't mean she had to act like a lady or enjoy those stupid lessons her stupid aunt gave. (Siderant: I wanted to smack Aunt Lurdine so bad. First of all--Lurdine? What kind of stupid name is that? Also? Worry about your own kid first before you go butting into everyone else's business. Another sign of a great author--when they can create a character you love to hate.) Anyway. The thing I loved most about Iris was that she had these strong, deep roots to the land and her farm. It's not often you see that in a YA novel. Most times, kids are trying to get out.
Overall, this might not be the most fast-paced book you'll ever read. There aren't any crazy twists or anything. What you'll find here is an incredibly well-written novel surrounding the lives of a cast of characters you'll grow to care about. The story is simple, yet entertaining, and the writing is beautiful. What more could you ask for?
October 31, 2019
As Long as There are Mountains is a thrilling book to say the least. This book captivates readers and make them grow attached to the characters. The author uses foreshadowing to build up to what is going to happen next. One example of foreshadowing is when Hazen, Iris’s dad says “I’m tired of always being in debt, Edith. Maybe with that new job I can get ahead a little, give you things you deserve”(84). This statement meant that IRis’s dad was tired of being poor and wanted to move so that his family could live a better life. Iris however still wants to live on her farm. I can relate to this book because when I was living in Pennsylvania I did not want to move to California because I thought that it was too much of a change. I would recommend this book to someone because it is intriguing and has a bit of suspense.
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August 3, 2019(My Vermont book for my State Challenge)
February 21, 2021
This young adult book was a short, easy read. I did enjoy reading about the time period (1950's) and the setting of the book. I am quite surprised that so few have read it and commented on it.
June 16, 2024
Has such a warm and nostalgic feel to it, moves the reader to yearn for the simple pleasures of family time.
April 8, 2025
Hooked me on reading her other books.
May 16, 2014
Wanting to re-familiarize myself with the works of Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, I just revisited this wonderful book, and was reminded of what a wonderful friend this book has been in the past and the delight that it has brought to former students.
The story takes place in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont where the author lives, and tells the story of a struggling dairy farm family. The narrator is 13 year old, Iris, who loves her home and all the beauty of the meadows and hills around, and wishes that she can live on this farm for years to come. She's irritated at her older brother who has turned his back on the farm and is off to college with the desire to become a writer. When tragedy strikes that summer, Iris is afraid that she is going to lose all that is dear to her, the worst of which would be the farm.
The story takes place in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont where the author lives, and tells the story of a struggling dairy farm family. The narrator is 13 year old, Iris, who loves her home and all the beauty of the meadows and hills around, and wishes that she can live on this farm for years to come. She's irritated at her older brother who has turned his back on the farm and is off to college with the desire to become a writer. When tragedy strikes that summer, Iris is afraid that she is going to lose all that is dear to her, the worst of which would be the farm.
August 6, 2012
Liked this story set in the 1950s in the northeast kingdom of VT. Kinsey-Warnock developed the characters to tell the story of the challenges of a farm family; it brought back many memories of growing up on a family farm and the recurrent theme of some wanting to escape and another expressing the love for the land and farming life. It is a young adult story which made for a easy read one summer afternoon.
March 3, 2013
Set in 1956 rural Vermont. Farming is in Iris' blood. At thirteen, she already knows that all she wants to do when she grows up is continue running her family's farm.
When a series of calamities strike her family, her dream is put in jeopardy. Through these trials, Iris learns the importance of family and good neighbors.
I would recommend this book to someone who likes a story in which a character must overcome adversity
When a series of calamities strike her family, her dream is put in jeopardy. Through these trials, Iris learns the importance of family and good neighbors.
I would recommend this book to someone who likes a story in which a character must overcome adversity
March 4, 2013
Set in 1956 rural Vermont. Farming is in Iris' blood. At thirteen, she already knows that all she wants to do when she grows up is continue running her family's farm.
When a series of calamities strike her family, her dream is put in jeopardy. Through these trials, Iris learns the importance of family and good neighbors.
I would recommend this book to someone who likes a story in which a character must overcome adversity
When a series of calamities strike her family, her dream is put in jeopardy. Through these trials, Iris learns the importance of family and good neighbors.
I would recommend this book to someone who likes a story in which a character must overcome adversity
September 29, 2012
Natalie Kinsey-Warnock is a good author, although if I had to choose three authors to recomment, she wouldn't be on that list. It was an ok book. Nothing wrong with it, just not my favorite. There isn't anything that I don't like about how she writes her books, there just isn't that much i don't know... It just isn't my type of book:)
October 13, 2008
Yep, this is a "young adult" book and I just read it. I quite enjoyed it, too. It provided a good look at Vermont farm life during the 1950s and I also found the issues the protagonist had to face at such a young age to be very real and moving.
April 12, 2012
Exceptional story of rural life and the close ties of family. Although the end was quite a surprise I would have liked to have seen the storyline carried further (possibly in a second book?) with the story of the family's adjustment to village life.
October 27, 2007
Great story! The girl inherits the farm because she's the one who truly loves to farm.
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May 24, 2008Hooray for happy endings! Even though we had to get through the barn burning, dead cows, selling the farm...
May 9, 2009
A young adult book, the story takes place in the 1950's when life was much simpler and neighbors helped each other. I enjoyed it very much.
October 18, 2012
With this author's name, how could I resist? Warnick originally was Warnock but there was a family falling-out.
July 11, 2013
Great book. Great ol' fashioned information and set in Vermont
October 1, 2013
It was kinda good but it could of been better
June 12, 2014
I remember doing a book brochure project thing for this book.
August 30, 2024
Wow i love rereading this book and reconnecting with my VT roots.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews