Customer Reviews

Daughter of the Mountains (Newbery Library, Puffin)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a 6th grader I think I had this book permanently checked out of my school's library for the entire year. Great adventure and suspense, a fascinating look into another culture, an extraordinarily brave girl and her love for her dog, and a deeply satisfying ending -- a perfect combination. I'm so glad it's still in print!

I read this book voraciously from start to finish when I was in 7th grade and have never forgotten it. It illustrates how important it is to have faith in a dream and to go after what you want even when everyone tells you it's impossible. And if you've ever dearly loved a pet, this is the story for you.

Momo, a young Tibetian girl, yearns to own a Lhasa Apso, but an expensive pedigree dog like that is beyond her family's meager budget. Undaunted, Momo hopes and prays for one to come her way, certain that it will. Her faith and tenacity pay off when a traveling merchant presents her with an adorable Lhasa puppy, whom Momo promptly names Pempa. All is perfect in Momo's world until the day Pempa is stolen by thieves on their way to India. You will learn a lot about that part of the world as Momo tirelessly treks through Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and finally India to retrieve her beloved pooch.

She stumbles into a lot of interesting characters along the way, making this story an even more enjoyable read.

I thought that this book was great because it shows what an amazing relationship a child and a dog can have. It also is so very detailed and descriptive, that at some parts I almost thought I was reading a book of poetry. Momo stands up for herself and proves she can.
Beautifully written. Great Characters.

This book is a wonderful story&it is especially won-
derful to read in this the 50th anniversary of the achievment of
the summit of Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary&Tenzing Norgay.
Momo showed courage as she made her way out of Tibet&down to In-
dia.I also loved the way it introduced another culture&religion.

Like another reviewer, I read this book in junior high and never forgot it. I remember trying to make hot buttered tea, as the heroine drinks it all the time; I found it undrinkable. My granddaughter has a Lhasa Apso now and I've been trying to find the book - 7th grade was 45 years ago and I'd forgotten the title. Thanks to many online searches using: dog, Tibet, girl, childrens' book etc. here it is and I'm ordering it for her today.

As a mother who screens everything her 12-year-old daughter reads, I admit to a soft spot for older books, because they are, if still in print, more likely to be written in grammatical English, and full and complete sentences. "Daughter of the Mountains" by Louise Rankin is one such book, beautifully descriptive of the climatic variations from the top of the Tibetan hills to the tropical rainforest heat of colonial India and the grimy streets of Calcutta. I found the dialogue very believable, and the way the simple plot is used to explore class and gender relationships very clever - perfect for, as said daughter pointed out below, younger readers. The only thing I felt was missing is the Notes that nowadays typically accompany historical tales, which explain what is true and what is imagined. It in no way detracts from a well-written story, however, and I'm so happy I stumbled on it at our library, we now have our own Amazon copy!
"The book, `Daughter of the Mountains,' by Louise Rankin was a great book.

"When Momo's dog, Pempa, is stolen by horrible traders, Momo embarks on an adventure of a lifetime. From the nasty Indians to the friendly, familiar Tibetans, Momo's trip down the mountain is one you will never forget. But even when Momo finally discovers where Pempa is, can she still get her beloved red-gold Lhasa terrier back in time? Or will the strange English woman who paid for Pempa return to England with her new dog?

"My favorite part was in the beginning, when Momo first sees a golden red terrier when she was four years old. Then she wishes and prays for one just like it for FIVE WHOLE YEARS till she gets one she calls Pempa.

"I would give the book five stars: two stars for the plot, two for the character and one for the sweetness of it all. The plot deserves two stars mostly because it is a pretty original story full of love, loyalty and the strength of a friendship between a girl and her dog. The characters deserve two stars because of how the author manages to combine realism and fairy-taleism in describing them. For example, I am know that there are still women around the world who try to keep children as their slaves, but because I have been lucky and never met one, that reminded me of the fairy tale of `Hansel and Gretel.'

"I would recommend the book to girls in 2nd, 3rd, 4th an, maybe 5th grades, typically. However, since I am a big softy at heart, I loved it, despite the fact I am twelve and am in 6th grade."

Set in the early 20th century, this story explores the culture and traditions of Tibet, as well as the bond of love between a young girl and her stolen Lhasa (Tibetan) Terrier.

As a proud parent of a Tibetan Terrier myself, I found the story to be both heartwarming as well as enlightening with regard to my own relationship with the little dog next to me, whose ancestors came from high in the mountains at the top of the world. As I read I could not help but wonder, if he was stolen from me, how far would I go to get him back.

I was truly amazed by the journey little nine year old Momo set upon all alone. She has no money, and only meager provisions, but without a moments hesitation she sets off to rescue her beloved pet. From high in the Himalayas the book follows her adventure as she walks nearly all the way to Calcutta, India. With only her determination and the love in her heart, as well as her strong belief in Buddhist traditions to guide her steps and keep her safe.

I highly recommend this tale as a book to be shared with a child or grandchild to encourage reading, or as the perfect bedtime story to be read a chapter at a time. I would also recommend it to anyone such as myself who just wants a little insight into the mystical appeal of the hairy little dogs from Tibet, that we have come to know and love as well as make a part of our family and homes.

I Loved this book to death. I fell in love with it. I don't think that it could've been writen any better then it was. I feel into the book, and I didn't want to come out. Even though the ending was upsetting, because I felt he should go back to indians, I realized that that was his home, that was where he needed to be. This book could've been writen about any person changing, and nowing they belonged. Everyone has a place they just need to find it. Jim Keath didn't now who he was, he always felt like somebody else, he needed to belong, and to change. He changed, and he realized he needed to stay for Dan'l. It's an awesome book that'd I recomend to any one.