THE MOUNTAINS OF TIBET - Hardcover

Mordicai. Gerstein

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 189800045X ISBN 13: 9781898000457

Publisher: Barefoot, 1993

Synopsis

A Tibetan woodcutter dreams of exploring the world, but is too busy with his life to ever leave his valley. After he dies, he is taken on a journey through the cosmos and al the places on Earth as he makes choices that lead him to a new life. First published as part of the debut list fo Barefoot Books in 1993, this gentle and inspiring look at life after death is jut as relevant today.

About this title

About the Author

Mordicai Gerstein is the author and illustrator of many beloved books for children. He won the 2004 Caldecott Medal for The Man Who Walked Between the Towers and is also a painter, sculptor, and prizewinning designer and director of animated films. Mordicai Gerstein lives in western Massachusetts with his wife, Susan Yard Harris, who is also an illustrator, and their daughter, Risa.

From School Library Journal

Grade 2 Up This story of the death and reincarnation of a Tibetan woodcutter is a beautifully gentle look at one human being dealing with life's choices and possibilities. As a boy, he thought about other worlds that he would someday visit; as a man, he thought of other countries and people, yet ``he was always busy with his work and his wife and children.'' After his death, he is given the option of being part of ``the endless universe some call heaven'' or living another life, and he chooses another life. The choices which follow take him through all the galaxies, stars, planets, creatures, peoples, countries, and parents before arriving at the final twist in this journey back to where he had beenalmost. Thus, the story comes full circle. The quiet, rhythmic text is in perfect unity with the softly colored but radiant watercolor and gouache illustrations, leaving readers with a sense of wholeness and resolution. The golden borders neatly tuck the story in and add to its feeling of satisfaction and quiet joy. The real world scenes are in neatly boxed frames while the worlds of possibilities are displayed in mandala-like circular drawings. The main character, pictured in his small personal mandala, shows a range of emotions and dance-like movement. The kites held by the children in three scenes connect the multiple worlds of the story, providing both a grounding in the world we know and a means to soar beyond it. Children will appreciate the well-told tale and the joyous satisfaction of being one's own self in a large and magical world. Kay E. Vandergrift, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers Univ . , New Brunswick, N.J.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Barefoot
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 189800045X
• ISBN 13: 9781898000457
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 32