Manjhi moves a Mountain by Nancy Churnin illustrated by Danny Popovici

Publisher blurb: When a mountain separates Dashrath Manjhi's poor village from schools and hospital, he sees a solution no one else can imagine. Using only a hammer, chisel, and twenty years of exhausting work, Manjhi shows that one determined person can wear down even the most massive of problems.

This is an incredible true story - one I only just discovered today.

Here are a few facts which will expand on the publisher blurb above.

• Manjhi was born in 1934 and he died in 2007
• A mountain blocked Gehlar a village near Gaya in Bihar, India from another village called Wazirgani.
• Wazirgani had running water, doctors, a school and jobs. People in Gehlar live in poverty.
• Manjhi's wife, Falguni Devi, fell on the mountain trail. She died because Manjhi could not reach medical help in time.
• Manjhi decided their village needed access to Wazirgani and so he worked with hand tools after work each day chipping away at the mountain.
• He cut a road 360 feet long, 30 feet high and 25 feet wide. It took him 22 years.
• This book has won numerous awards and has been translated in to 18 languages. 

Here is the road carved by hand by Manjhi:

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Churnin’s prose has an elegance appropriate for her inspiring tale, which is based on a true story. Popovich’s double-page illustrations use a warm palette and are nicely composed. Kirkus

Here is a set of teaching notes from the publisher Creston Books. My friend at Kinderbookswitheverything collects picture book biographies in her school library. The power of these stories comes when you read about wonderful people who do amazing things and yet are often people you may have never heard of. For example I discovered Maria Merian through the biography Summer Birds and Emmanuel's Dream the story of Emmanuel Ofosu when I read the book by Laurie Ann Thompson. These are not related to the book I am discussing here today but they are powerful stories which linger with me.

I am keen to see another book by Nancy Churnin which compares the lives of Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Jr. who were born in the same year. "Both faced ugly prejudices and violence, which both answered with words of love and faith in humanity. This is the story of their parallel journeys to find hope in darkness and to follow their dreams." Booktopia

Raven's mountain by Wendy Orr

"At the very tallest point there's a flat rock. I drop my pack in the snow and scramble up. Now I'm on the highest bit on the peak of the highest mountain for as far as I can see ... I can do my dance"

It is very easy to tell that Wendy Orr has climbed up and down a mountain or two and when I read the biographical notes at the back of Raven's Mountain this is indeed true.  Wendy was born in Alberta and when she was twelve she climbed Pike's Peak in Colorado.  You can see a picture here.

Raven, her sister Lily and step dad, Scott, set out to climb a mountain near Jenkins Creek.  The family, including mum who is working on this day, have moved and this is the area of Scott's childhood.  He keen to share his favourite spots with his new family.  The journey up the mountain goes smoothly but there is an undertone of animosity between Lily and Raven.  This comes from the loss of their father who abandoned the family and moved to Australia (Wendy herself now lives in Australia). Lily blames Raven, Raven is filled with confusion and now has also lost her closest friends because they have moved.

The group are well prepared for their mountain climb and Scott even teaches the girls how to use a bear repellent spray because bears live on this mountain.

When they reach the top Raven races ahead and does a little wild dance of joy.  This dislodges some rocks and causes a landslide.  Scott and Lily are trapped and so Raven must find her way, without her glasses, down the mountain to call for help.  Lily and Scott have most of the supplies, the phone and water bottles and this is a very remote area.

The disaster and Raven's courage help heal the rift between Lily and Raven and the hurtful comments of the past are explained and forgiven.

"The strange thing is Lily never has anything much wrong with her at all. Until she turned into a witch, she'd always been a kind of golden girl ... The problem with being three years younger is that I never catch up; by the time I can do something too, Lily's doing something else even better."

If you enjoy Raven's mountain I would look for The Honest Truth.  Raven's Mountain is not a new book it was first published in 2010 but it might still be in a library near you.  You could also look for other books by Wendy Orr including Nim's Island, Ark in the Park and her newest titles Dragonfly Song which is actually on my current 'to read' pile.  Here is an interview where Wendy talks about story and a life where 'stuff happens'.  In Canada this book has a different title and cover.

Belle and Sebastien The child of the mountains by Cecile Aubry illustrated by Helen Stephens

I mentioned in a previous post that I loved the movie based on this book and television series.

Belle and Sebastien was first written in French in 1965.  This edition is an English translation published in 2014.  At times the writing style is a little complex so I would recommend older Primary students might watch the movie before reading this book.  Originally there were thirteen episodes of the television series.  This book introduces the little boy Sebastien who is found as a newborn baby lying with his dying mother and adopted by the kind and wise Cesar.  We are also introduced to Belle and discover why she has become 'wild'.  The movie goes further into the story exploring the heroism of the French resistance.

Here is the scene where Sebastien sees Belle for the first time :

"Sebastien wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.  There she was standing tall, motionless save for the plume of her tail as it beat the air. Vapour came our of the half-open chops with their long black outline; two more back lines made her eyes stand out in the golden whiteness of her fur. ... He called out to her very softly : 'Belle ... "

The people in the village are sure Belle has become a dangerous beast.  Sebastien seems to have few allies.  The authorities are set to destroy Belle but this little boy is determined to save his best friend.

Through kindness, perseverance and love Belle is gradually tamed. Sebastien runs through the mountains trying to find Belle because he overhears the adults who are planning setting out to capture him. Exhausted he falls into a deep snow drift.  It is Belle who rescues her new friend but there will need to be two more rescues before the authorities are convinced Belle is not dangerous.

"It was in this moment that a dog's passion for man was truly born in Belle.  In a few agile bounds she was next to him, lifting him with her muzzle, breathing her strength into the child, forcing him to hang on to the long frozen locks of her fur."

You might like to listen to the beautiful song if you have a memory of the television series.  You can read the first pages of this book here.  Dog lovers might also enjoy Shiloh by Phyllis Naylor Reynolds, A dog's life by Ann M Martin or Stone Fox.

There is also a second movie about Belle and Sebastien which I hope to see soon.

The honest truth by Dan Gemeinhart

If you are looking for a fast paced survival adventure book that deals with issues of life and death then The Honest Truth is a book you should grab.

There are many examples I could give you from the text that show how highly improbable this story really is but I don't want to do this.  A young reader will be swept up in the journey Mark has undertaken and the extreme dangers he encounters.  It seems churlish to say a ten year old boy surely did not think of all these amazing things to put in his pack.  Not to mention how excruciatingly heavy this pack would be carried on his thin frame along with a small dog in his duffle bag!

Mark has suffered endless hospital visits since his cancer diagnosis when he was a tiny boy.  All through these tough times his special friend Jessie has stood by him.  Visiting for hours at the hospital and supporting him when he was able to attend school but now the final verdict is in and the cancer has returned.

Mark sets off on one last journey to the mountain loved by his Grandfather - Mount Rainier.  He takes his loyal dog Beau but does leave a note for Jessie.

"To my truest friend,

I'm so sorry. And goodbye.

Hold my secret now."

There are two things to notice about this letter.  It is a haiku.  Mark explains this to a young girl that he meets on a bus :

"It's Haiku .. My best friend and I love them.  Our favourite teacher, in third grade, taught us about them.  We use them like a kind of .. code, I guess.  We write notes in Haiku.  We even talk in Haiku sometimes."

The second thing to notice here is the enormous moral dilemma that Jessie must now grapple with.  She knows why Mark has run away and she is pretty sure she knows exactly where he is headed.  As she sits with his distraught mum and dad over the following days she must decide - to tell or not to tell.

This book is written in alternate chapters - we experience Mark's reality followed by Jessie memories of their friendship.

Dan Gemeinhart gently reveals the truths mentioned in the title and this is a real strength of this storytelling.  If you need to read more of the plot (spoiler alert) take a look at this review.

You might also enjoy Hatchet or Wolf Brother.

Here is a set of teaching notes.  The advance copy came with some interesting additions.  There are some excellent videos of the author here on Mr Schu's web site. These would be perfect to use if you are reading The Honest Truth with a Grade 5 or 6 class.  Here is a terrific trailer.