The Boy and the Mountain

May 13, 2022
Preschool-Grade 2 This picture book will speak to any child who wants to draw something exactly how it looks, with a lesson about how a shift in how we look at something can change everything. A little boy wants to draw the mountain visible from his window. On his first attempt, his drawing is just a gray blob. He adds trees, then sky and clouds--pencil shavings and erasers appear in the margins, showing his failures--but the mountain remains uncaptured. So the boy decides to go get a closer look at it. He draws what he sees along the way, and as he hikes upward, he's joined by a goat, a dog, a bear and its cub, a squirrel, and a snail. The childlike illustrations, done in gouache and using collage, look like charming cutouts. The end, where the boy draws all his animal friends at the top of the mountain, is a wonderful upending of "not seeing the forest for the trees," as the boy sees the rich variety of what surrounds him, not just the mountain.

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June 17, 2022

PreS-Gr 2-This exercise in perspective opens with a young boy trying to draw the mountain he views from his window each day. Despite the details he adds to his drawings of the mountain, such as trees and a sky, he is never satisfied with his renderings-the spirit of his subject evades him. So, as any dedicated artist would do, he sets out on a hike to draw his mountain en plein air. As he ascends, he encounters a goat, a stream, some leaves, and trees-all worthy subjects for his sketchbook. After reaching the peak, he looks at his sketches and finds that there is still something missing. He peers over his sketchbook to see all of the critter friends he has accumulated on his hike, and they have a big adventure making their way down the mountain. Just before bedtime, he draws one last sketch, a self-portrait with all of his new friends, and at last captures the essence of his elusive subject. Coppo's minimalist illustrations have a traditionally Scandinavian style in their layout, palette, and functionality. The grid of the graph paper is an effective visual tool that distinguishes the sketches from the scenes as the hand is identical in both. Despite the simplicity of the character illustration, Coppo captures a wide range of emotions. VERDICT A sweet story about the depth of what a beautiful place can provide beyond its beauty. A recommended purchase for most collections.-Sarah Simpson

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