Jenkins, Steve. 1999. THE TOP OF THE WORLD: CLIMBING MOUNT EVEREST. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395942187
2. Plot Summary
In this beautifully illustrated concept picture book, Steve Jenkins brings every aspect of Mount Everest to life. He begins with basic facts about the tallest mountain on earth and goes through the history of climbers, the equipment needed to survive the climb, and what happens when you reach the summit. Also included are facts about the people of Nepal and Tibet since Mount Everest borders these two countries. Readers will be taken on a journey of in-depth facts, collaged pictures, and diagrams of the world's tallest peak.
3. Critical Analysis
Steve Jenkins' Everest book is organized as a climber's journey to the top of the treacherous mountain. The first few pages help the reader understand basic facts about the mountain, including the height, people's fascination with the peak, the location, and its namesake. Then, the reader is immersed in facts about the people of Tibet and The Sherpas of Nepal, helping him or her to understand how an attempt to climb to the top can take place. The illustrations are cut-paper collages, reproduced in full, vivid color, drawing the reader's eyes in right away. A picture walk could be taken initially and much knowledge could be gained that way. The illustrations are very detailed and realistic for paper collage, but they still have a whimsical quality of something creative and fun. The text and illustrations blend seamlessly together, creating a rich experience for the reader who wants to learn what it is like to climb the beast that is called Everest.
Every page has related sections labeled well so that readers can look for the information they need versus reading the entire book cover to cover. All of the topics do flow one into another, especially when Jenkins' writes about the actual trek, necessary gear and equipment, and mountain life and conditions, so this portion of the book would benefit the reader more so by reading those sections in order. Everything is labeled clearly on the images, and there is a bibliography and diagram of the world's tallest summits on each of the seven continents, adding to the accuracy and credibility of the book. There are no page numbers, table of contents, glossary, or index, which would be an added benefit for readers needing to find specific information. The font is set in Frutiger, and it is a very readable and straight-forward lettering. Jenkins used black font on the white of the mountains and white font on darker images, making the words extremely easy to see. Each section has just enough text to give the reader an in-depth view of the topic at hand but to also entice readers to think critically about the information and to ask inquisitive, further questions. Jenkins' style is easy to understand but very technical at the same time, and he engages the reader through his knowledge of the topic and through fun, extra facts, as well as his excitement for the subject through his phrasing and illustrations.
4. Review Excerpts and Notable Awards/Honors:
PUBLISHER'S 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 collage, wrote PW. Ages 6-10."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Grade 2-6-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."
HORN BOOK STARRED REVIEW: "...The cut-paper collage illustrations manage to show the grandeur of the world's tallest mountain with an immediacy that few photographs can. The book follows a logical sequence, beginning with the statistics and continuing with a virtual climbing experience for the reader. Exceptional design handles these bits of text remarkably well...the deft execution of the illustrations brings the whole package to a higher level."
NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW: "The book teaches children about the thrills and risks of big mountains without frightening them."
- 1999 Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards Winner, Nonfiction
- 2000 Orbis Pictus Honor Book
- School Library Journal Best Books of 1000
- Notable Books for Children, 2000, American Library Association, ALSC
- Horn Book Fanfare 2000 List
A. Students could go through an inquiry model for researching a question or questions they have after reading The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest. This could be a collaborative project where students work in groups to ask questions, find answers, and create a project using a Web 2.0 tool such as Prezi or Animoto.
B. Students could create a, "What's in My Backpack" activity, where they tell what things should go in their backpack with descriptions of the items as well as the importance of each item.
C. Read more stories of people who survived the climb of Mount Everest, in particular, THE BOY WHO SURVIVED EVEREST: THE JORDAN ROMEO STORY (listed below). Then, create a lesson based on the importance of goal-setting and living out your dreams.
*Other informational books about climbing Mount Everest:
Krakauer, John. INTO THIN AIR. ISBN 9780613663618 FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY.
Borgenicht, David and Bill Doyle. WORST CASE SCENARIO ULTIMATE ADVENTURE: EVEREST: YOU DECIDE HOW TO SURVIVE! ISBN 9780811871235
Graham, Ian. YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO CLIMB MOUNT EVEREST: A DEADLY JOURNEY TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD. ISBN 9780531137857
Blanc, Katherine and Jordan Romero. THE BOY WHO CONQUERED EVEREST: THE JORDAN ROMEO STORY. ISBN 9781401931179
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| Image from Amazon.com |
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