Over on a Mountain: Somewhere in the World

by Marianne Berkes, Jill Dubin (Illustrator)

Overview

Learning becomes fun in Over on a Mountain: Somewhere in the World about the ecosystem on a mountain. Sung to the tune of "Over in the Meadow", this informative and fun rhyming format and amazing artwork in this children's book will inspire children in classrooms and at home to appreciate the world around us!

Discover twenty cool animals, ten great mountain ranges, and seven continents all in one story! And do it in the age-old style of children the world over—by clapping, counting, singing, and acting like . . . well, animals! What fun! Kids love counting books, too! Following the main story, this book is chock full of resources for parents and teachers, including facts about each of the animals featured (including the hidden animals) and about mountains. A simple world map makes it easy for children to locate the continents and the mountain ranges where the animals live. A "Tips from the Author" page has suggested activities and a "Tips from the Illustrator" page offers an interesting perspective from the artist, who created the illustrations using cut paper.

Backmatter Includes:

• Further information about mountains and the animals in this book!
• Music and song lyrics to "Over on a Mountain" sung to the tune "Over in the Meadow"!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781584695196
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	03/01/2015
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.10(d)
Lexile:	AD690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 8 Years

About the Author

Marianne Berkes has spent much of her life as a teacher, children's theater director and children's librarian. She knows how much children enjoy "interactive" stories and is the author of many entertaining and educational picture books that make a child's learning relevant. Reading, music, theater, gardening, and cooking have been a constant in Marianne's life. Her books are inspired by her love of nature. Marianne hopes to open kids' eyes to the magic found in our natural world. She now writes full time. An energetic presenter at schools and conferences, Marianne believes that "hands on" learning is fun. Her website is www.MarianneBerkes.com.

Jill Dubin's whimsical art has appeared in over 30 children's books. Her cut paper illustrations reflect her interest in combining color, pattern and texture. She grew up in Yonkers, New York, and graduated from Pratt Institute. She lives with her family in Atlanta, Georgia, including two dogs that do very little but with great enthusiasm.

Editorial Reviews

03/02/2015
As she has done in Over in a River, Over in the Ocean, and other titles, Berkes adapts the song “Over in the Meadow,” for an animal-centric counting book, this time introducing 20 animals that live in mountainous regions throughout of the world. Ten—including panda, ibex, and wombat families—are the focus of her stanzas, while 10 more are hidden in the images for readers to locate. While Berkes’s phrasings can be convoluted (“Over on a mountain/ With his mate, a female ‘hen,’/ Lived a father emperor penguin/ And his little chicks ten”), those familiar with the song shouldn’t have trouble following along. Dubin’s richly textured torn-paper collages provide ample visual interest, and substantial appended resources about the animals and their habitats’ offer additional avenues for children to engage. Ages 3–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

04/01/2015
PreS—Following the rhyme scheme and pattern of "Over in the Meadow," this story introduces animals from all over the world and the mountains where they reside. Each creature is shown in its natural habitat, accompanied by a picture of the continent where it can be found, labeled with the mountain range where it lives. For example, for the llama, readers will find a brief rhyme ("Over on a mountain/Grazing in the morning sun,/Lived a wooly mother llama/And her little cria one./'Roll,' said the mother./'I roll,' said the one./So they rolled in the dirt/Grazing in the morning sun."), a cutout of South America, with the Andes indicated. The collage illustrations are beautiful and layered with exquisite details. Readers will enjoy looking for hidden animals found on each spread; further material on the concealed creatures is appended. There is also a "Fact or Fiction" section that discusses the creative liberties the author has taken and clears up some questions that kids may have. Other sections include more information on the animals and on mountains. VERDICT A solid addition to most nature collections.—Melisa Bailey, Harford County Library System, MD

School Library Journal

2014-12-06
Berkes continues her "Over in the Meadow"-based series of early science books with this look at animals that live in the mountains. This diverse habitat can be found on every continent, and Berkes does a nice job of including at least one mountain range from each and identifying and mapping it on details that accompany the illustrations as well as on a large world map in the backmatter. Most of the verses scan well, whether read or sung, though readers may stumble on the gorilla verse: "Over on a mountain / Where leaves and berries thrive, / Lived a shy mother gorilla / And her little babies five." The animals range from the familiar—emperor penguins and pandas—to those that may be new to young readers—Alpine ibex and wombats. Llamas, snow leopards, eagles, mountain lions and yaks complete the menagerie. As with most in this series, the artwork stands out for its beauty and craftsmanship. Dubin's textured cut- and torn-paper illustrations evoke both animals and habitats—fur looks soft, rocks look hard, and one can almost smell the greenery, though the scenes are less realistic than cute. And the backmatter adds significantly to the learning experience with paragraphs about mountain habitats, the featured animals and the bonus hidden animals. Author's and illustrator's notes give hints on how to extend the fun and learning and tell how the art was created. What habitat is left for Berkes to explore? Readers and teachers will hope at least one. (music score) (Informational picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews