When the Mountain Sings - Hardcover

MacLean, John

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0395599172 ISBN 13: 9780395599174

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1992

Synopsis

Lacking the competitive edge required to win the upcoming championship ski race, Sam trains hard with his coach, Phil, and soon learns how to concentrate and find the courage to win.

About this title

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-- A skier since the age of three, Sam is still hesitant to enter competition. Is he good enough to win? Is the pressure worth it? Sam is good enough, and after moving up quickly through the ranks, he places first among 13-year-olds in his debut championship event. The sport gets top billing in this story, and MacLean's strength is in his descriptions of pre-race jitters, the tension at the starting gate, and the feel of skis against the snow. Dialogue and scenes at school or at home don't come through as strongly, and hints about an early ski teacher who ``kind of disappeared'' are never wrapped up. Other than Sam and his off-the-wall coach, none of the characters take on a distinctive role, except for unflattering descriptions and occasionally insulting remarks. While the first-person, present-tense narrative may be easy for reluctant readers to comprehend, there are times when the author falls into a repetitive and simple sentence structure that makes for choppy reading. There's plenty of skiing action, but the predictable injury to a friend that allows Sam to compete in the big race and his seemingly easy successes make the story less than compelling. --Susan Knorr, Milwaukee Public Library, WI
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"MacLean's smooth writing style and sure ear for teen dialogue make a winning story even more appealing." (Booklist, ALA)

About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0395599172
• ISBN 13: 9780395599174
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 168