Description
For twenty years, Cynthia Rylant’s story of childhood in the Appalachian Mountains has been an enduring favorite. Growing up in the mountains is depicted with a spare, lyrical text and beautiful, tender illustrations by Diane Goode. The book was awarded a Caldecott Honor Medal in 1983.
“Rylant delights in the simple joys of living with her grandparents in the Appalachian Mountains: fresh cornbread, the swimming hole, bathing in the tin tub, snakes, and the community church. Surrounding all of these memories is the loving relationship with her grandparents. Warmly rendered illustrations complement the lyrical text.”–School Library Journal
“An evocative remembrance of the simple pleasures in country living; splashing in the swimming hole, taking baths in the kitchen, sharing family times, each is eloquently portrayed here in both the misty-hued scenes and in the poetic text.”--Association for Childhood Education International
When I was young in the mountains, Grandfather came home in the evening covered with the black dust of a coal mine. Only his lips were clean, and he used them to kiss the top of my head.
Growing up in the mountains was special. Grandmother made hot corn bread and fried okra. There were trips to the swimming hole and Crawford’s store.
Each pleasure was one to share – and remember. And each is part of a gentle story, illuminated with perceptively happy paintings, that evokes the love of a way of life, of a family, and most of all, of a place.
Cynthia Rylanthas written many distinguished books for young readers, including the Newbery Medal winnerMissing May, the Newbery Honor BookA Fine White Dust, the Caldecott Honor BookThe Relatives Came(illustrated by Stephen Gammell), and the Caldecott Honor BookWhen I Was Young in the Mountains(illustrated by Diane Goode). She is also the author of the popular beginning-reader series Henry and Mudge, Poppleton, and Mr. Putter and Tabby. She lives in Oregon.
As a child,Diane Goodeloved books and art. She has been drawingfor as long asshe can remember. Of Italian and French descent, she enjoyed the richness of both cultures and traveled to Europe every summer visiting family, as well as cathedrals and museums. She feels that these early impressions helped shape her appreciation of art and life. She studied art history at Queens College, but switched to fine arts, in which she earned her degree. Her love for Europe shows in the setting of many of her books, Paris in particular, where two of her picture books,Where’s Our Mama?andMama’s Perfect Present,take place. She drew on her experience of living for a short time in Pennsylvania for the artworkin Cynthia Rylant’s story of Appalachia,When I Was Young in the Mountains, for which she was awarded a Caldecott Honor Medal.
Target Age: 5-8
Puffin Books
Pub Date:January 01, 1993
7.78″Wx10″Hx0.16″D
32 pages
paperback
Dutton Books for Young Readers
Pub Date:March 30, 1982
8.06″Wx10.31″Hx0.36″D
32 pages
hardcover
