The Littlest Mountain

by Barb Rosenstock, Melanie Hall (Illustrator)

Overview

God realizes that the people of the world need rules to live by, and decides to speak to them from a mountaintop. Beautiful Mount Carmel, tall Mount Hermon, and majestic Mount Tabor all vie for the honor of being chosen. But little Mount Sinai is silent. Which mountain will God select?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781512495768
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2011
Series:	Bible
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	24
File size:	6 MB
Age Range:	7 - 8 Years

About the Author

Orbis Pictus Honoree Barb Rosenstock grew up in a rural suburb south of Chicago. She married and raised two sons who loved picture books, so Barb read thousands of them. She started writing for children while finishing a Master's Degree in teaching.
Melanie Hall grew up in Manchester-By-the-Sea, Massachusetts. She attended the Rhode Island School of Design and Pratt Institute, receiving her B.F.A. from Pratt Institute. She went on to earn her Master's Degree at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where she studied children's book illustration. She is the illustrator of over twenty-five children's books.

Editorial Reviews

"The story teaches children the importance of looking past surface traits, in favor of deeper meaning. Understanding this, children can begin to view themselves and others from the inside out. In a world polluted with materialism and vanity, the heartfelt message of The Littlest Mountain gives Jewish families a vital resource to help children stay grounded and aware of what is real." —Jewish Woman

From the Publisher

PreS-Gr 3—This pourquoi story about why God chose Mount Sinai as the location for giving the Ten Commandments has its roots in Jewish legend. Various mountains in the land of Israel list their best qualities and argue over which should be chosen. In the end, God picks humble, faithful Mount Sinai, who says, "Whichever mountain You choose will be the best." This is a lovely tale, but a few points in the story require some suspension of disbelief. Talkative, mobile mountains are a bit of a stretch, especially as the illustrations are realistic rather than anthropomorphic. Also, God plans to give the people "laws to follow so that the world will finally know peace." The statement feels anticlimactic, since even young readers know that this goal was not achieved. That said, kids will get a kick out of the folktale feeling and the talking mountains, caregivers will like the lesson on the value of being humble and faithful, and Jewish educators will be thrilled to have a great read-aloud for the holiday of Shavuot, which commemorates the receiving of the Ten Commandments. The story can easily be adapted for performance as reader's theater, a puppet show, or a stage play. The pastel-colored illustrations are very soft, perhaps a bit on the gentle side for a tale about rocky peaks, but they are well executed and do enhance the fairy- tale atmosphere. A solid choice for Judeo-Christian collections that may be enjoyed in secular settings as well.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL

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