About Habitats: Mountains

by Cathryn Sill, John Sill (Illustrator)

Overview

A beginner's guide to mountains that is an informative and beautiful resource for young students.

This volume from the acclaimed About Habitats series uses simple, easy-to-understand language to teach children what mountains are and what kinds of animals and plants live there.

Noted wildlife illustrator John Sill provides stunning and realistic illustrations to depict the diversity of mountain landscapes―from the snow-covered peaks of the Himalaya Mountains to the forested slopes of the Appalachians. A glossary and afterword provide more details for further learning.

Perfect for early childhood and elementary units on geography, nature, and environment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561454693
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	03/03/2009
Series:	About Habitats Series , #3
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	NC650L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Cathryn Sill, a graduate of Western Carolina University, was an elementary school teacher for thirty years. She is the author of more than twenty-five prize-winning nonfiction picture books about animals and habitats. She has created three nature series especially for pre-K and kindergarten students. She lives in North Carolina.

John Sill holds a BS in wildlife biology from North Carolina State University. Combining his knowledge of wildlife and artistic skill, John has achieved an impressive reputation as a wildlife artist and received many awards. He has illustrated more than twenty-five books in the About... and About Habitats series. He lives in North Carolina.

Editorial Reviews

K-Gr 4

The majesty of mountains comes through in the almost poetic language and quiet illustrations in this picture book. On each spread, a sentence or two faces a full-page illustration. "Many kinds of plants and animals are able to live in warmer mountain forests" shows a view of Mount Mitchell in the Blue Ridge Mountains inhabited by a black bear, a broad-winged hawk, an Eastern chipmunk, a black-throated green warbler, a woodchuck, flame azalea, and mountain laurel. Readers can take the time to drink in every detail of the fine drawing and have fun finding the flora and fauna. Most of the mountains are in the U.S., but Asia, South America, and Europe are also represented. "Mountains are important places that need to be protected," describes the Virunga Mountains in east-central Africa, habitat of the mountain gorillas. An afterword offers a paragraph with more details about each two-page entry. A beautiful and informative selection.-Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA

School Library Journal

In this introduction to the mountain habitat, Cathryn Sill relates facts about mountains and the living things that make their homes on them. The text is composed of simple sentences, one to two on each left-hand page, set against a white background. On each right-hand page appears John Sill's realistic watercolor illustration of a particular mountain or mountain range. One page informs readers, for instance, that "plants and animals living on steep, rocky mountainsides have special ways of surviving." The watercolor opposite depicts, according to its label, the Alps, with parsley fern and wallcreeper in situ. To truly understand the connection between picture and text, readers must visit the afterword, which consists of thumbnails of each illustration, along with additional information. Here, they learn details about how the parsley fern and the wallcreeper survive in a steep, rocky environment. A solid introduction sure to help readers develop an appreciation for the scope and unique beauty of the mountains and mountain ranges that grace our planet. (glossary, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 5-10)

Kirkus Reviews

"A solid introduction sure to help readers develop an appreciation for the scope and unique beauty of the mountains and mountain ranges that grace our planet." —Kirkus Reviews

"A beautiful and informative selection." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher