Sierra [Library Binding]

Diane Siebert (Author), Wendell Minor (Illustrator)

Book Description

One of the Sierra Mountains speaks of the beauty and timelessness of herself and her sister peaks.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Like Siebert and Minor's two previous collaborations, Mojave and Heartland , this handsome volume celebrates nature with awe and respect--here the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which stands "Tall and grand / . . . like a sentinel" in the West. Siebert's tone is stately and Whitmanesque as she catalogues the history and vastness of the Sierras: "I am the mountain. / Come and know / Of how, ten million years ago, / Great forces, moving plates of earth, / Brought, to an ancient land, rebirth." Minor's impressive paintings are a tribute to the beauty and interrelation of the creatures that inhabit these mountains--from the sequoias that have "watched three thousand years go by" to the animals that "keep the balance on the land." The poem ends with a timely warning: "And what my course of life will be / Depends on how man cares for me." Its jacket carrying an endorsement by the director of the Sierra Club, the book will appeal especially to those interested in environmental preservation. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-4-- Siebert and Minor have surpassed their previous collaborative achievements, Mojave (1988) and Heartland (1989, both Crowell), in this their latest celebration of the American landscape. Siebert's measured, confident verses convey the majesty of the speaker, the mountain personified, Sierra herself. She relates her geological birth and the formative experience of the ice ages, and describes her present splendid appearance. Appreciatively, Sierra catalogs the rich life she shelters, supports, and observes, from the tiny pika to the big black bear and untethered eagle. On the final page a "new force" is introduced: MAN, ominously "changing nature's plan," yet, promisingly, able to care for the mountain environment. Siebert's lyrical and moving verses are, nevertheless, all but upstaged by Minor's stunning acrylic paintings. He effectively exploits long shot, close up, unusual perspective, framing, and other techniques while employing tender color to evoke the breathtaking beauty of his subject. Minor relies on the sculptural strength of his compositions to balance the unabashed romanticism of his vision. There is a siren's-song quality to this lovely book. Readers sensitive to its power might well feel how tragically possible it is for us to love our wilderness to death. --Patricia Dooley, University of Washington, Seattle
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (April 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060216409
• ISBN-13: 978-0060216405
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 9.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,165,256 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous!, October 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Sierra (Trophy Picture Books) (Paperback)

Each double page spread includes a beautiful Wendell Minor paintings. The book is really a poem that is told to you as if the mountains are speaking to you about the aspects of its life. In this book, nature has a voice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sierra, poetic creativity at its best., May 21, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Sierra (Trophy Picture Books) (Paperback)

This book was actually pretty good, I thought, I had to read it for a Children's Book Project for my 8th grade English class. I randomly picked it from a stack, and thought it was nice. It has beautiful imagery and tone, and amazing artistry with the help of Wendell Minor. As you know, this book is at a 2nd-4th grade level, so I didn't really think any of it, just a blatant book for kids, but its actually a poem in a sort of a way, deeply detailed and carefully written.

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking appreciation of the natural world, November 12, 2010

By 

christina glaser - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sierra (Trophy Picture Books) (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book for children of all ages. The poem is poignant, the illustrations are simply breath-taking. It is rare to find a children's book that is filled with such depth. My 6 year old son loves this book, and altho i did need to explain a few lines to him, he was so captivated with the paintings and the rhythm of the prose, that it has become his favorite book.

This book beats the pants off the oft-poorly written Thomas/dora/bob the builder etc books. Get this book for your child, open up his world! you will not regret it!