Review of Up, Up, Ever Up!

Junko Tabei

A Life in the Mountains

A TRUE TALE WITH

A CHERRY ON TOP

Clarion Books

(Harper Collins Publishers)

(pub. 9.24.2024)

48 pages

Ages 4 - 8

Author: Anita Yasuda

   Illustrator: Yuko Shimizu

Character: Junko Tabei

Overview:

" Junko Tabei dreamed of a life climbing mountains. But men refused to climb with her. Sponsors told her to stay home. And gloves were not made to fit her hands. Junko, eager and unstoppable, wouldn’t let these obstacles get in her way.

Instead, she planned an expedition to summit Mount Everest with an all-women team. Battling icy peaks, deep crevasses, and even an avalanche, Junko refused to give up. She climbed step by step . . . up, up, ever up!

After summiting the world’s tallest peak, Junko took on a new challenge: protecting the wild spaces she loved for future generations."

Tantalizing taste:

"Junko stood on Everest's summit, where earth met sky:

silvery domes

and icy peaks

unfurled as far as she could see.

On a snowy patch, no larger than a tatami mat, she gazed upon a landscape untouched by people. Just two small climbers in a cloud of white."

And something more: Anita Yasuda, in the Author's Note, explains that "Concerned about the impact of climbing on the environment, Junko campaigned for sustainable mountaineering... Junko also organized an annual Mount Fuji hike for high school students [from the Fukushima region], teaching them the importance of conservation and rebuilding their love of nature.

In 2016, three months after hiking with students on the annual Mount Fuji hike, Junko passed away. It was her last climb. But Junko's commitment to mountain environments lives on... Junko's remarkable life inspires others to pursue their dreams, step-by-step, up, up, and ever up."

I'm quite touched by this book, so beautifully written and illustrated. I recently travelled to Japan for the first time and was enthralled when I saw the snow-topped Mt. Fuji, just as I always envisioned it. And now my appreciation of Mt. Fuji and Japanese culture is enhanced by knowing this inspiring story of Junko Tabei and her perseverance and dedication to protecting mountains and helping others value the beauty of nature.

Review of Skybound

Starring Mary Myers as Carlotta

Daredevil Aeronaut and Scientist

A TRUE TALE WITH

A CHERRY ON TOP

Calkins Creek

(Astra Books for Young Readers)

(pub. 4.16.2024)

48 pages

Ages 7 - 10

Author: Sue Ganz-Schmitt

   Illustrator: Iacopo Bruno

Character: Mary Myers

Overview:

" In the 1850s, proper young ladies were supposed to keep their feet on the ground (literally and metaphorically), but Mary dreamed of flying. Luckily, she married Carl Myers, a balloon enthusiast whose dreams were just as lofty as hers. Together, they designed and constructed balloons of all shapes and sizes, a difficult and dangerous job that required knowledge of chemistry, engineering, and meteorology.

But how could they know which balloon designs worked best? They needed someone adventurous who could do balloon tricks for crowds while recording flight data. Mary knew just the person . . . herself! She gave herself the stage name Carlotta and anxiously awaited her first flight. Would she make it into the air? Could she collect the data they needed? Mary battled thick clouds and bone-chilling cold, but she went higher and farther than she hoped, and returned ready for her next flight."

Tantalizing taste:

"At first, she was buoyant! But as the weekend crept closer, Carlotta's mood plummeted. She'd promised to pilot her balloon one mile up. And to stay aloft for five miles or thirty minutes. With zero flight experience, a lot could go wrong.

Carlotta dissolved her dark clouds by imagining herself dancing with the currents over an enchanted view of Earth...

'The day came,' she noted, 'a misty, moisty, miserable, rainy 'Fourth,' dampening all my expectations of a delightful tour.'"

And something more: The section, "Carlotta Retires" at the back of the book explains: "By forty-one, Carlotta was weary of the ups and downs of faraway fairgrounds and exhibitions. She was ready to drop anchor and retire. Sort of ... The Myers bought a farm in Frankfort, New York. Instead of growing food, they grew balloons... Carlotta and Carl's business swelled until most of the balloons sold in the US came rom the Balloon Farm."

Review of Whirligigs

The Wondrous Windmills of Vollis Simpson's Imagination

A TRUE TALE WITH

A CHERRY ON TOP

Calkins Creek

(Astra Books for Young Readers)

(pub. 11.12.2024)

32 pages

Ages 7 -10

Author: Carole Boston Weatherford

   Illustrator: Edwin Fotheringham

Character: Vollis Simpson

Overview for Review of The Fabulous Fannie Farmer:

" Vollis Simpson was a man with a curious mind—always eager to know how things worked and how to fix them. Growing up on a farm in North Carolina, he loved to tinker with machines. And when he served in the Army Air Corps during WWII, Vollis kept right on tinkering. His ingenuity allowed him to build things no one would have thought to create from scraps—a washing machine out of airplane parts and a motorcycle out of a bike. 

After the war, his passion for metal creations picked up speed—turning into a whirlwind of windmills as far as the eye could see. Luckily, Vollis’s fanciful and colorful windmills have been preserved at a park in Wilson, NC, where visitors can behold his magnificent and towering creations forever whizzing in the air.."

Tantalizing taste:

"Vollis made birds, dogs, horses,

airplanes, cyclists, lumberjacks,

and a guitar player inspired by his son.

With fan blades catching the wind,

bike wheels revolving,

mirrors and reflectors beaming,

and chimes tinkling,

Vollis's noisemaking, mechanical marvels

put little Lucama on the map.

CLINK-PLINK-WHOOSH-SCREEE!"`

And something more: The author, Carole Boston Weatherford, shared in the Author's Note: "When Vollis Simpson began building whirly gigs at age 65, the locals thought he was wacky but his windmill farm in North Carolina became a roadside attraction, amusing and amazing travelers and school children alike.… Simpson created four whirly gigs for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta… the whirly gigs have been named North Carolina's official folk art."