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The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest
Describes the conditions and terrain of Mount Everest, attempts that have been made to scale this peak, and general information about the equipment and techniques of mountain climbing. By the author of Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Steve Jenkins
159 books242 followersSteve was born in 1952 in Hickory, North Carolina. His father, who would become a physics professor and astronomer (and recently his co-author on a book about the Solar System), was in the military and, later, working on science degrees at several different universities. We moved often. Steve lived in North Carolina, Panama, Virginia, Kansas, and Colorado. Wherever he lived, he kept a menagerie of lizards, turtles, spiders, and other animals, collected rocks and fossils, and blew things up in his small chemistry lab.
Because he moved often, Steve didn't have a large group of friends, and he spent a lot of time with books. His parents read to him until he could read himself, and he became an obsessive reader.
His interest in science led me to believe that I'd be a scientist himself. At the last minute, he chose instead to go to art school in North Carolina, where he studied graphic design. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he worked in advertising and design, first in large firms and then with his wife, Robin Page, in their own small graphic design firm. Robin, also an author and illustrator, is his frequent collaborator — they've made sixteen children's books together.
Their daughter Page was born in 1986 and our son, Alec, two years later. They began reading to them when they were just a few months old, and Steve became interested in making children's books himself. My wife and I read to our two older children almost every night until hisdaughter was 12 or 13, long after they were reading on their own. It was, in many ways, the best part of the day.
In 1994 they moved to from New York City to Boulder, Colorado, where they work in a studio attached to their house, which was built in the 1880s and often functions as if it were still the 19th century.
Their youngest son, Jamie, was born in 1998. The questions his children asked over the years have been the inspiration for many of their books.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
Because he moved often, Steve didn't have a large group of friends, and he spent a lot of time with books. His parents read to him until he could read himself, and he became an obsessive reader.
His interest in science led me to believe that I'd be a scientist himself. At the last minute, he chose instead to go to art school in North Carolina, where he studied graphic design. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he worked in advertising and design, first in large firms and then with his wife, Robin Page, in their own small graphic design firm. Robin, also an author and illustrator, is his frequent collaborator — they've made sixteen children's books together.
Their daughter Page was born in 1986 and our son, Alec, two years later. They began reading to them when they were just a few months old, and Steve became interested in making children's books himself. My wife and I read to our two older children almost every night until hisdaughter was 12 or 13, long after they were reading on their own. It was, in many ways, the best part of the day.
In 1994 they moved to from New York City to Boulder, Colorado, where they work in a studio attached to their house, which was built in the 1880s and often functions as if it were still the 19th century.
Their youngest son, Jamie, was born in 1998. The questions his children asked over the years have been the inspiration for many of their books.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 16, 2010
I love this author’s nature books and I have a fascination (from a distance) with mountain climbing, so I decided to check out this book.
I was afraid I’d get bored when I saw that Jenkins might get bogged down with some details. He didn’t. There was nothing disappointing about this book. I think it succeeded perfectly at what it set out to do.
The illustrations (collage paper cut outs) are extraordinary and beautiful, and very informative too.
The information is fascinating and presented incredibly well. I’ve read a lot about Everest climbs, and I was impressed by how much information Jenkins could fit into a picture book, and one without a huge amount of text.
I love that there are stats given, and while they are current only as of 10 years ago, a web site is given where readers can go for updated stats and information.
This is a perfect book for readers interested in Mt. Everest, mountain climbing, nature, weather, geography, geology, the areas of Nepal and Tibet and their cultures, humans who challenge themselves, and beautifully illustrated picture books.
I was afraid I’d get bored when I saw that Jenkins might get bogged down with some details. He didn’t. There was nothing disappointing about this book. I think it succeeded perfectly at what it set out to do.
The illustrations (collage paper cut outs) are extraordinary and beautiful, and very informative too.
The information is fascinating and presented incredibly well. I’ve read a lot about Everest climbs, and I was impressed by how much information Jenkins could fit into a picture book, and one without a huge amount of text.
I love that there are stats given, and while they are current only as of 10 years ago, a web site is given where readers can go for updated stats and information.
This is a perfect book for readers interested in Mt. Everest, mountain climbing, nature, weather, geography, geology, the areas of Nepal and Tibet and their cultures, humans who challenge themselves, and beautifully illustrated picture books.
August 28, 2007
I''m not sure which is better - the amount of information packed into this book or the gorgeous paper collage pictures. It's hard to believe the detailed illustrations -climbers, maps, mountains, gear- are all layers of paper. You can read one page of this book or sit down for a long cover to cover immersion in climbing Mt. Everest.
March 23, 2015
It’s another beautiful and informative book by Steve Jenkins, telling some of the history, the beginning of readying for this amazing goal, to climb the tallest mountain in the world. Considering the incredible changes in equipment from 1953 when the first ascent was accomplished by Hillary and Norgay, it is hard to understand how they and others made it to the top with limited equipment. In his usual collages, Jenkins not only shows the beauty of the outdoor adventure in nature’s harshest climate, but the work that is needed. It’s an interesting book, would be good for younger students who are interested.
November 6, 2019
Very good overview of Mount Everest and the people who have climbed there. It’s provides scientific fact and information on plants and animals too. It’s a tough read for kids but the illustrations are are beautiful and informational. Great for my Nepali kids.
February 16, 2025
The peak of science storytelling. Engaging, inspiring, and visually stunning.
This was an uplifting — sometimes, scary — book. I wanted to reach out to the author but found out that he has passed. :( This was crafted with passion, love, and creativity.
This was an uplifting — sometimes, scary — book. I wanted to reach out to the author but found out that he has passed. :( This was crafted with passion, love, and creativity.
October 29, 2017
Summary: This is a story about the journey to hike Mount Everest. It goes through everything that needs to be done prior and during this journey. Need to know about some of the equipment you need, challenges you will face, cultural adoration of this mountain, and just what its like to hike it? Read this book!
Evaluation: I gave this book 4.5 stars. The images perfectly mirror what the text is saying. Since it is an informational text about Mount Everest, the author kept it engaging by using real experiences and what people truly experience when doing this intense hike.
Teaching Idea: I think that this would be a fun book to read when talking about weather changes. While reading this book, you learn about the different seasons in this specific area and how temperature changes by how high of an elevation you are.
Evaluation: I gave this book 4.5 stars. The images perfectly mirror what the text is saying. Since it is an informational text about Mount Everest, the author kept it engaging by using real experiences and what people truly experience when doing this intense hike.
Teaching Idea: I think that this would be a fun book to read when talking about weather changes. While reading this book, you learn about the different seasons in this specific area and how temperature changes by how high of an elevation you are.
November 24, 2015
So when I requested this ebook from my library, I didn't realize it was a kids' Intro to Everest book. So it isn't what I was looking for. But for what it is, it's quite good. Informative and accurate, with lovely illustrations.
July 3, 2015
Dad and mom rates this 4 stars, Ellie and Jacob 2 stars. The kids noticed that the ritual of the Sherpas before they climb is idol worship.
October 17, 2019
An astounding picture book that takes the reader through the journey of climbing Mount Everest. Climbers and scientists have been fascinated by Mount Everest, many have climbed it and many more have failed. Mount Everest is located in the highest mountain range on earth, the Himalayas. Out of the mountains in the Himalayas, Mount Everest is the highest of them all. The book goes on to discuss the culture a climber experiences when beginning their journey to climb Mount Everest. A climber cannot forget a single item to bring on their journey but don't worry the book lists everything a climber could need and the purpose of each item. Starting with the ultimate backpack to the ideal mountaineering boots the book covers it all. Through the reader’s journey they also learn the many hardships a climber can run into while climbing Mount Everest. Though a climber cannot be fooled, as the climb down is one of the most dangerous parts of the journey.
The colors and texture shown through the illustrations bring the illustrations to life. While reading the book readers can imagine and almost feel the harsh conditions a climber will experience. The book is also extremely educational as it is packed with information that is presented in a fun way. Teachers can use this book to teach students the weather patterns and changes with elevation. This is an awesome book for anyone interested in geology, nature, weather or climbing.
The colors and texture shown through the illustrations bring the illustrations to life. While reading the book readers can imagine and almost feel the harsh conditions a climber will experience. The book is also extremely educational as it is packed with information that is presented in a fun way. Teachers can use this book to teach students the weather patterns and changes with elevation. This is an awesome book for anyone interested in geology, nature, weather or climbing.
November 28, 2018
The Top of the World Climbing Mount Everest written and illustrated by Steven Jenkins is a picture book that demonstrates what climbing mount Everest would be like. Alongside the demonstration it goes into the deep history of the mountain, its geography, and the climate of the mountain. The book begins with explaining what mount Everest is and why it is so significant to so many climbers. It goes into detail explaining that many people try to traverse this mountain since they aspire to be at the “top of the world.” It shows the readers what they will need to do in order to climb the mountain, such as explaining what stops they would usually do first and what they should do when they arrive there. It also shows the many dangers that the climbers will face such as frostbite, avalanches, frigid temperatures, and limited oxygen. The book is some sort of guide providing you tips on what you need in order to survive the treacherous terrain that is mount Everest. The book has really beautiful illustrations that accompany the words, the art style is made of paper cutouts which blends in perfectly with the style of the book. There are also illustrations that go beside the main illustration, these act as some fun facts that will undoubtedly keep students engaged with what is in the book.
April 13, 2018
This beautifully illustrated informational picture book gives readers interesting insight into the experience of climbing the highest peak in the world: Mount Everest. Jenkins discusses the culture of Mount Everest and it religious and cultural significance for the Sherpas and others who live near the mountain. Readers then learn about the terrain of the mountain, the weather from base to summit, the gear climbers must take and wear to climb, and impressive records set by climbers such as fastest assent, first assent, and first woman to summit. The illustrations are done in paper collage and are absolutely stunning. The crumpled white paper at the bottom of many pages gives the impression of snow in the most fascinating way. This book was published in 1999, so it will have to be updated because the statistics in the back are not completely accurate anymore because some of the records have been broken. This was a great introductory book to learn about Mount Everest and mountaineering in general, and it certainly did not give me any desire to climb Everest.
May 28, 2020
I love the collages in here. The manipulation of various types of papers and fibers are just fantastic. The way the snow blows off the top of the mountain in the jet stream--astounding!
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
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November 22, 2021This books is a very imagery picture book. There are lots of pictures to show the mountain of Everest. This books gives facts about what it takes to get to the top of the mountain. It also explains what some of the things the hikers need and do to achieve this mission.
April 2, 2018
With the fabulous collage illustrations and fascinating but not overwhelming tidbits of information this a great first nonfiction book for young readers. Loved it!
July 11, 2018
Pictorial nonfiction, a great intro to Everest, tiny bit of geology.
December 5, 2018
Very educational book about Mount Everest and good history on it.
October 17, 2019
I strongly believe this is a good book because it is educational for children and they learn interesting facts about climbing Mount Everest.
January 6, 2020
Very informative with interesting artwork. A bit text heavy for most kids, but chock full of information for kids interested in Everest.
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February 16, 2022could be read to integrate reading with science, also could be read as a mentor text for students to later write their own book regarding a goal they have in their life
February 6, 2023
Informative and I love Steve Jenkins illustrations
October 31, 2023
I think this is a very interesting book for kids to read. I liked it, and I think it has a very cool message and background that kids would find interesting to learn about.
November 11, 2012
Main Characters: N/A
Setting: Mt. Everest
POV: Narrator
Grade Level: 3-5
Reading Level: Fountas-Pinnell - Q
Genre: Information Book
Steve Jenkins has written many great informational books for children. This phenomenal entry is both interesting and informative. It takes the reader to Mount Everest and explores the history, geography, and climate. Most importantly, the author describes the culture and the experience of what it is like to visit this mountain. Come along for the adventure as this book serves as a guide to prepare you for what is one of the toughest physical challenges in the world. By reading this book, you will know what you need to pack and what equipment you will need if you decide to attempt the climb. This mountain stands on the border of Nepal and Tibet. The local people of Nepal are known as Sherpas. Sherpas work with climbers as guides and are born and raised on mountains so they are accustomed to the altitude and cold climate. Sherpas are Buddhist and consider the mountain sacred. They won’t climb without a puja, which is a ceremony to ask the Gods for permission to climb. This book also describes the symptoms one may experience while climbing such as getting dizzy and weak from lack of oxygen at high altitudes. They also warn of hazards such as avalanches and winds that reach up to 250 miles per hour! They also talk about frostbite. In addition, they talk about the accomplishments of many of the historical figures that were able to conquer this challenge.
This book is definitely something that can be useful in a classroom. It is beautifully written and combines a nice mixture of facts with interesting stories. All of the stories also include their own facts, as this book is completely non-fiction. Curious students at the recommended reading level should easily become consumed with the information that is on these pages.
Setting: Mt. Everest
POV: Narrator
Grade Level: 3-5
Reading Level: Fountas-Pinnell - Q
Genre: Information Book
Steve Jenkins has written many great informational books for children. This phenomenal entry is both interesting and informative. It takes the reader to Mount Everest and explores the history, geography, and climate. Most importantly, the author describes the culture and the experience of what it is like to visit this mountain. Come along for the adventure as this book serves as a guide to prepare you for what is one of the toughest physical challenges in the world. By reading this book, you will know what you need to pack and what equipment you will need if you decide to attempt the climb. This mountain stands on the border of Nepal and Tibet. The local people of Nepal are known as Sherpas. Sherpas work with climbers as guides and are born and raised on mountains so they are accustomed to the altitude and cold climate. Sherpas are Buddhist and consider the mountain sacred. They won’t climb without a puja, which is a ceremony to ask the Gods for permission to climb. This book also describes the symptoms one may experience while climbing such as getting dizzy and weak from lack of oxygen at high altitudes. They also warn of hazards such as avalanches and winds that reach up to 250 miles per hour! They also talk about frostbite. In addition, they talk about the accomplishments of many of the historical figures that were able to conquer this challenge.
This book is definitely something that can be useful in a classroom. It is beautifully written and combines a nice mixture of facts with interesting stories. All of the stories also include their own facts, as this book is completely non-fiction. Curious students at the recommended reading level should easily become consumed with the information that is on these pages.
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November 18, 2012The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest by Steve Jenkins
Main Characters: N/A
Setting: N/A
POV: Narrator
Grade Level: K-2
Reading Level: Fountas-Pinnell - J
Genre: Informational
This is another quality informational book by Steve Jenkins. It talks about the many different types of animal parts and why they are useful to that animal. Whether it is their noses, ears, tails, eyes, feet, or mouths, there are many different uses that different animals have them for. Jenkins presents each part in a very interesting way. For example, when the author asks, “What do you do with a tail like this? There are zoomed in drawings of five different tails. You flip the page and you see the full animal. One is a giraffe that brushes off pesky flies with his tail. Another is a skunk that lifts its tail to warn that spray is on the way. Another is a lizard that can actually break off its tail to get away. The examples continue, with the explanation by each full picture. Finally, at the end of the book, he takes the creatures and goes more into detail about each and every animal that is mentioned earlier in the book.
As with many of the other Steve Jenkins books, this book is extremely valuable to a classroom. This book in particular is set up very well for a read aloud due to it’s format that allows you to have students make predictions before you flip the page. You can ask the question, “What animal do you think this tail belongs to?” If they get that right, you can ask, “What do you think this tail is used for?” The questions and conversations that could be had with this book are extensive.
Main Characters: N/A
Setting: N/A
POV: Narrator
Grade Level: K-2
Reading Level: Fountas-Pinnell - J
Genre: Informational
This is another quality informational book by Steve Jenkins. It talks about the many different types of animal parts and why they are useful to that animal. Whether it is their noses, ears, tails, eyes, feet, or mouths, there are many different uses that different animals have them for. Jenkins presents each part in a very interesting way. For example, when the author asks, “What do you do with a tail like this? There are zoomed in drawings of five different tails. You flip the page and you see the full animal. One is a giraffe that brushes off pesky flies with his tail. Another is a skunk that lifts its tail to warn that spray is on the way. Another is a lizard that can actually break off its tail to get away. The examples continue, with the explanation by each full picture. Finally, at the end of the book, he takes the creatures and goes more into detail about each and every animal that is mentioned earlier in the book.
As with many of the other Steve Jenkins books, this book is extremely valuable to a classroom. This book in particular is set up very well for a read aloud due to it’s format that allows you to have students make predictions before you flip the page. You can ask the question, “What animal do you think this tail belongs to?” If they get that right, you can ask, “What do you think this tail is used for?” The questions and conversations that could be had with this book are extensive.
November 6, 2016
Great non-fiction book about Everest! The book clearly explains important facts about the mountain and climbing the mountain. The illustrations are very detailed and provide just as much information as the text. Climbing Mount Everest is an arduous task with many risks and Jenkins does a great job making this understandable and accessible for young readers. I like how different pages have different layouts which are used to disseminate the information. Each layout has been chosen to be the most effective for that portion of the story. For example, the page on "Packing for the Trip," is a double page spread on white background with various illustrations and captions for each item. The "First to the Top" accurately reflects the gear climbers need for the ascent above 26,000 feet. The two panels on the right add extra facts and complement the main, "First to the Top" section. Jenkins also includes many different aspects of the climb. I appreciate that he also briefly mentions how dirty the mountain is, many oxygen tanks, tents, etc. are left up on the mountain littered everywhere. Climbing Mount Everest is an endeavor that not many can make and Jenkins stresses the difficulty while keeping it positive to young readers. The only drawback for me is the last page. The last page gives facts about Everest including first climber, number of total climbers, and number of deaths. This book was written in 1999 and this fact pages is grossly incorrect on the total numbers. It would be nice to have an addend on newer facts. This book fully fulfills standards of the new Common Core.
November 19, 2012
The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest by Steve Jenkins
Main Characters: N/A
Setting: N/A
POV: Narrator
Genre: Informational
This is another quality informational book by Steve Jenkins. It talks about the many different types of animal parts and why they are useful to that animal. Whether it is their noses, ears, tails, eyes, feet, or mouths, there are many different uses that different animals have them for. Jenkins presents each part in a very interesting way. For example, when the author asks, “What do you do with a tail like this? There are zoomed in drawings of five different tails. You flip the page and you see the full animal. One is a giraffe that brushes off pesky flies with his tail. Another is a skunk that lifts its tail to warn that spray is on the way. Another is a lizard that can actually break off its tail to get away. The examples continue, with the explanation by each full picture. Finally, at the end of the book, he takes the creatures and goes more into detail about each and every animal that is mentioned earlier in the book.
As with many of the other Steve Jenkins books, this book is extremely valuable to a classroom. This book in particular is set up very well for a read aloud due to it’s format that allows you to have students make predictions before you flip the page. You can ask the question, “What animal do you think this tail belongs to?” If they get that right, you can ask, “What do you think this tail is used for?” The questions and conversations that could be had with this book are extensive.
Main Characters: N/A
Setting: N/A
POV: Narrator
Genre: Informational
This is another quality informational book by Steve Jenkins. It talks about the many different types of animal parts and why they are useful to that animal. Whether it is their noses, ears, tails, eyes, feet, or mouths, there are many different uses that different animals have them for. Jenkins presents each part in a very interesting way. For example, when the author asks, “What do you do with a tail like this? There are zoomed in drawings of five different tails. You flip the page and you see the full animal. One is a giraffe that brushes off pesky flies with his tail. Another is a skunk that lifts its tail to warn that spray is on the way. Another is a lizard that can actually break off its tail to get away. The examples continue, with the explanation by each full picture. Finally, at the end of the book, he takes the creatures and goes more into detail about each and every animal that is mentioned earlier in the book.
As with many of the other Steve Jenkins books, this book is extremely valuable to a classroom. This book in particular is set up very well for a read aloud due to it’s format that allows you to have students make predictions before you flip the page. You can ask the question, “What animal do you think this tail belongs to?” If they get that right, you can ask, “What do you think this tail is used for?” The questions and conversations that could be had with this book are extensive.
November 20, 2012
POV: Narrator
Grade Level: K-2
Reading Level: Fountas-Pinnell - J
Genre: Informational
This book focuses on giving facts. The book is considered informational because it describes many types of animals with and its habitat. The book goes very in depth in terms of explaining the features of the animal and it purpose/use. The book introduces a lot of its information through question formats. A lot what do you think…? Questions are in this book which are made to have students thinking before additional information is given. There are also sections that show the gear that climbers need and a section with vocabulary and its definition. The pictures are great and the information at the side are very detailed and well explained for teachers to use during read a louds.
I would use this book as a read aloud to introduce new material to the students. I would use a KWL chart during my read a loud and then have students do a comparing and contrasting of an animal of their choice.
Grade Level: K-2
Reading Level: Fountas-Pinnell - J
Genre: Informational
This book focuses on giving facts. The book is considered informational because it describes many types of animals with and its habitat. The book goes very in depth in terms of explaining the features of the animal and it purpose/use. The book introduces a lot of its information through question formats. A lot what do you think…? Questions are in this book which are made to have students thinking before additional information is given. There are also sections that show the gear that climbers need and a section with vocabulary and its definition. The pictures are great and the information at the side are very detailed and well explained for teachers to use during read a louds.
I would use this book as a read aloud to introduce new material to the students. I would use a KWL chart during my read a loud and then have students do a comparing and contrasting of an animal of their choice.
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April 28, 2015In the book The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest has awesome pictures that help show the history behind Mt. Everest. This book is very informational for kids who are interested in this. The paper collage pictures really is what makes this book, they are so stunning and so fun to look at. This book keeps you entertained throughout. This book is a great informational book about Mt Everest and the things that have to do with Mt. Everest. This book would be a great book to have around in a classroom because any child at any age would enjoy reading this book and learning new things. There are a lot of questions throughout the book which is good because it keeps the students thinking and making them pay attention to try and figure out the answer. When you are reading this book it makes you feel as though you are climbing the mountain as well which I thought was really cool.
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December 9, 2016This book tells about climbing Mount Everest and all the dangers that are involved. It describes what you should pack for this adventure and how long it could possibly take to get there. This is a Caldecott Medal winner and the illustrations are made from cut paper.
I liked this book because of all ways it describes what it would be like to stand on top of the world. It would be very interesting to students who like adventures and it would also appeal to other students because of the pictures. I also liked the details that it gives about frostbite, avalanches, and other dangers climbers face.
I would use this book as an example of an exciting Scientific career. It would be interesting to pair this book with a website about people who actually climb mountains. It could also be used with a unit about explorers or an art unit using cut paper pictures.
I liked this book because of all ways it describes what it would be like to stand on top of the world. It would be very interesting to students who like adventures and it would also appeal to other students because of the pictures. I also liked the details that it gives about frostbite, avalanches, and other dangers climbers face.
I would use this book as an example of an exciting Scientific career. It would be interesting to pair this book with a website about people who actually climb mountains. It could also be used with a unit about explorers or an art unit using cut paper pictures.
November 15, 2013
Steve Jenkins writes about Mount Everest through exploring the mountain’s rich history, unique geography, climate, and its culture too. This picture book makes the reader feel as though they are climbing the mountain themselves through the details and illustrations. The book focuses a lot on the dangers and risks climbers face when scaling the mountain including: avalanches, frostbite, below freezing temperatures, strong force wind, and low oxygen supply. The text is informational, but includes some of the author’s personal style. The illustrations are very intricate paper cuts that add texture and a realistic feel to all the pages. A great book for any age level genuinely interested in Mt. Everest or climbing mountains themselves!
August 1, 2014
This book takes readers on a step by step journey to the top of Mount Everest. There are many facts about Mount Everest, but also facts about what is around Mount Everest: animals, countries, people, shrines, rivers, etc. I like how it starts from going on a plane to Asia and ending with reaching the summit of Mount Everest. The way it is written makes it fun to keep reading so readers can reach the summit, yet it is not a narrative so it has more of a non-fiction feel to the book. This would be a good book to use for researching terrain in social studies. I recommend it for students in middle and upper elementary to be able to read all the text and the side notes as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews