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On Snowden Mountain
Twelve-year-old Ellen learns the quiet strength of family when her mother's deep depression prompts her to ask an estranged aunt for help.
Ellen's mother has struggled with depression before, but not like this. With her father away fighting in World War II and her mother unable to care for them, Ellen's only option is to reach out to her cold, distant aunt Pearl. Soon enough, city-dwelling Ellen and her mother are shepherded off to the countryside to Aunt Pearl's home, a tidy white cottage at the base of Snowden Mountain. Adjusting to life in a small town is no easy thing: the school has one room, one of her classmates smells of skunks, and members of the community seem to whisper about Ellen's family. But even as she worries that depression is a family curse to which she'll inevitably succumb, Ellen slowly begins to carve out a space for herself and her mother on Snowden Mountain in this thoughtful, heartfelt middle-grade novel from Jeri Watts.
Ellen's mother has struggled with depression before, but not like this. With her father away fighting in World War II and her mother unable to care for them, Ellen's only option is to reach out to her cold, distant aunt Pearl. Soon enough, city-dwelling Ellen and her mother are shepherded off to the countryside to Aunt Pearl's home, a tidy white cottage at the base of Snowden Mountain. Adjusting to life in a small town is no easy thing: the school has one room, one of her classmates smells of skunks, and members of the community seem to whisper about Ellen's family. But even as she worries that depression is a family curse to which she'll inevitably succumb, Ellen slowly begins to carve out a space for herself and her mother on Snowden Mountain in this thoughtful, heartfelt middle-grade novel from Jeri Watts.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2019
4 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
About the author
Jeri Watts
3 books17 followersJeri Watts has worked as a public school teacher for twenty-seven years. She has written numerous short stories as well as the picture book Keepers. Kizzy Ann Stamps is her first middle-grade novel. Jeri Watts lives in Virginia, where she is a professor at Lynchburg College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
January 4, 2020
I received an advance review copy of this book from Candlewick Press through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.
Trigger warnings: Depression, child abuse, domestic violence
3.5 stars
My Video Review
Likes:
- Examination of mental health and illness
- Growth of character
- Representation of intergenerational trauma and cycles of violence
Dislikes:
- Some themes explored that may not reach the target audience (middle grade readers)
- Protagonist's initial judgmental nature and mean-spirited actions
Trigger warnings: Depression, child abuse, domestic violence
3.5 stars
My Video Review
Likes:
- Examination of mental health and illness
- Growth of character
- Representation of intergenerational trauma and cycles of violence
Dislikes:
- Some themes explored that may not reach the target audience (middle grade readers)
- Protagonist's initial judgmental nature and mean-spirited actions
February 13, 2020
It didn't take long once WWII began for 12-year-old Ellen Hollingsworth's father to join the army and go off to fight Hitler in Europe, leaving his daughter to care for their home and her catatonically depressed mother. Now, it's September 1942 and Ellen has run out of money, food, and the kindness of neighbors. Not knowing what else to do, she writes her dreaded, estranged Aunt Pearl about her circumstances and the next thing Ellen knows is that she and her mother are on a train out of Baltimore heading to the tiny town of Snowden, Virginia at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, to live with her aunt.
It's a whole new world for Ellen, from the lack of electricity and the outhouse at Aunt Pearl's to the small one room school held in an abandoned church. It's there that she meets Russell Armentrout, a boy of about 15 who seldom shows up at school, who still doesn't know his alphabet, and who always smells like skunk. Ellen and Russell take an instant dislike to each other after he calls her mother crazy.
But when Aunt Pearl sends Ellen to the Armentrout home with a basket of food, she witnesses Russell's home, his "beaten down" mother, who used to be Ellen's mother's best friend, and his abusive father. After this incident, Ellen and Russell begin a tension-filled friendship. But as they begin learn the truths about each others home life, a real friendship develops.
Because her father used the war as an excuse to run away, leaving his daughter and depressed wife behind, I decided to review On Snowden Mountain here. It is not a war story per se, but a home front tale that is definitely influenced by the fact of war.
The main theme of this coming-of-age story is the unfolding of Ellen's growth as a person. Ellen arrives at Snowden a judgmental city girl who believes herself to be above the people there and who is determined not to make any friends. But she is also a girl who is plagued with doubts about reaching out to her aunt for help, who fears that she may be prone to the same kind of depression as her mother, and who is angry at her father for leaving her with his responsibilities. But as she learns about her mother's past and witnesses acts of quiet, unpretentious kindness on Snowden Mountain, and in her exchange of letters with her father, Ellen learns to face her fears, and accept that there are things she just can't change.
Two things really impressed me while I read. First, though downplayed compared to Ellen's story, there are lots of details about Aunt Pearl and the things she does to help provide the community with needed food, much of which she cans herself, and clothing, while still caring for her sister.
Second, as a story about a family in crisis, taken the away from the hustle and bustle of a big city to the much slower moving country, it accentuates the kind of loving patience needed to help Ellen's mother with her severe depression, and undertaken not just by her sister Pearl, but by her old best friend, Hannah Armentrout.
On Snowden Mountain is a short novel that deals with some very serious themes, including family, mental illness, physical and mental abuse, and alcoholism and does it with empathy, and making it is a novel not to be missed.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was an ARC gratefully received from Candlewick Press
It's a whole new world for Ellen, from the lack of electricity and the outhouse at Aunt Pearl's to the small one room school held in an abandoned church. It's there that she meets Russell Armentrout, a boy of about 15 who seldom shows up at school, who still doesn't know his alphabet, and who always smells like skunk. Ellen and Russell take an instant dislike to each other after he calls her mother crazy.
But when Aunt Pearl sends Ellen to the Armentrout home with a basket of food, she witnesses Russell's home, his "beaten down" mother, who used to be Ellen's mother's best friend, and his abusive father. After this incident, Ellen and Russell begin a tension-filled friendship. But as they begin learn the truths about each others home life, a real friendship develops.
Because her father used the war as an excuse to run away, leaving his daughter and depressed wife behind, I decided to review On Snowden Mountain here. It is not a war story per se, but a home front tale that is definitely influenced by the fact of war.
The main theme of this coming-of-age story is the unfolding of Ellen's growth as a person. Ellen arrives at Snowden a judgmental city girl who believes herself to be above the people there and who is determined not to make any friends. But she is also a girl who is plagued with doubts about reaching out to her aunt for help, who fears that she may be prone to the same kind of depression as her mother, and who is angry at her father for leaving her with his responsibilities. But as she learns about her mother's past and witnesses acts of quiet, unpretentious kindness on Snowden Mountain, and in her exchange of letters with her father, Ellen learns to face her fears, and accept that there are things she just can't change.
Two things really impressed me while I read. First, though downplayed compared to Ellen's story, there are lots of details about Aunt Pearl and the things she does to help provide the community with needed food, much of which she cans herself, and clothing, while still caring for her sister.
Second, as a story about a family in crisis, taken the away from the hustle and bustle of a big city to the much slower moving country, it accentuates the kind of loving patience needed to help Ellen's mother with her severe depression, and undertaken not just by her sister Pearl, but by her old best friend, Hannah Armentrout.
On Snowden Mountain is a short novel that deals with some very serious themes, including family, mental illness, physical and mental abuse, and alcoholism and does it with empathy, and making it is a novel not to be missed.
This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was an ARC gratefully received from Candlewick Press
October 1, 2019
Thanks to Candlewick Press for this poignant novel set during World War II handling some tough topics with ease for a middle grade audience.
Ellen Hollingsworth's Aunt Pearl comes to the rescue when her father proudly signs up to go to war and leaves her and her mother to survive. Really, it's Ellen who's having to survive because her mother has stopped caring, suffering from deep depression. The two are taken to Aunt Pearl's home in tiny Snowden, Virginia. Ellen's finding it tough to live in this new simpler way of life: there's no electricity and she's got a classmate who smells of skunks. She worries that she will fall to the same depression that has claimed her mom, and insists that this new and awful place will never be "home".
Ellen finds school hard to believe with a few children set on benches and a boy, Russell, older than she is at the front, still trying to learn the alphabet with the little ones and smelling like skunk! It's Russell and Ellen getting together, learning to survive homes with mental illness, abuse and alcoholism as they also learn how to be friends. There are touching moments along with frightening ones, but it feels as if the troubles met as well as possible might connect to children today living with similar challenges in their own young lives.
I enjoyed the tentativeness of the characters, making do in their lives, acting out on occasion with regret as children and adults do, feeling their way to thoughtful actions and beliefs, growing up. And they're learning that even adults learn, too. It's a complex story filled with complex characters facing tough odds for survival. Even the character one begins to loathe is given some sympathy.
Weaving the setting into this poignant story feels right, too. Seeing that others have lived happily with so little, reading the parts about the woods and the animals so loved by Russell showed that things in the outside world can offer solace in the midst of harsh living. I enjoyed the story and would like to know more about these characters as years pass. Some questions linger.
Ellen Hollingsworth's Aunt Pearl comes to the rescue when her father proudly signs up to go to war and leaves her and her mother to survive. Really, it's Ellen who's having to survive because her mother has stopped caring, suffering from deep depression. The two are taken to Aunt Pearl's home in tiny Snowden, Virginia. Ellen's finding it tough to live in this new simpler way of life: there's no electricity and she's got a classmate who smells of skunks. She worries that she will fall to the same depression that has claimed her mom, and insists that this new and awful place will never be "home".
Ellen finds school hard to believe with a few children set on benches and a boy, Russell, older than she is at the front, still trying to learn the alphabet with the little ones and smelling like skunk! It's Russell and Ellen getting together, learning to survive homes with mental illness, abuse and alcoholism as they also learn how to be friends. There are touching moments along with frightening ones, but it feels as if the troubles met as well as possible might connect to children today living with similar challenges in their own young lives.
I enjoyed the tentativeness of the characters, making do in their lives, acting out on occasion with regret as children and adults do, feeling their way to thoughtful actions and beliefs, growing up. And they're learning that even adults learn, too. It's a complex story filled with complex characters facing tough odds for survival. Even the character one begins to loathe is given some sympathy.
Weaving the setting into this poignant story feels right, too. Seeing that others have lived happily with so little, reading the parts about the woods and the animals so loved by Russell showed that things in the outside world can offer solace in the midst of harsh living. I enjoyed the story and would like to know more about these characters as years pass. Some questions linger.
November 26, 2019
See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfi...
ON SNOWDEN MOUNTAIN is a heavy historical middle grade read, which deals with depression, alcoholism, war, domestic abuse/violence, and child abuse as well as possibly dyslexia. Ellen's father left for war, leaving her mother to fall back into her depression. Although Ellen had not experienced this before, her mother did have a history of such illness. Luckily, when Ellen contacts her Aunt Pearl, she brings Ellen and her mother home with her to Snowden.
Ellen is reluctant about going, but she learns a lot about herself, people, and her family while she is there. Although she is somewhat of an outcast, she begins to befriend a boy who is older than she but still learning to read with the younger students at school. He also smells like skunk. Russell is abused by his alcoholic father who forces him to miss school to trap skunks (because their pelts are worth a good amount of money). As Ellen gets to know Russell better, she is also able to help him learn to spell and read a bit (it seems he has dyslexia).
This book ends up being a little scary owing to the domestic/child abuse/violence, so it should be selected with some care for the maturity of readers.
What I loved: There is a lot to unpack in this book, and it uses simple terms to introduce these big concepts to young readers. This is not an easy book to read, but it does a good job of talking about depression in somewhat abstract terms (as well as showing how other people to react to it/dismiss it) and dyslexia. The historical context of the war and concessions that had to be made for rationing and the like was also interesting.
What left me wanting more: I do wish there had been more resolution/resources for Russell and his mother, but this is a part of the historical context maybe and even exists now as well.
Final verdict: This is an engaging historical middle grade read that deals with some heavy topics. While it may be worth considering the maturity of the reader in selecting this book, it does have a lot of strengths in discussing the era and presenting these topics to the reader in ways that are understandable (with discussions to be started after reading).
Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
ON SNOWDEN MOUNTAIN is a heavy historical middle grade read, which deals with depression, alcoholism, war, domestic abuse/violence, and child abuse as well as possibly dyslexia. Ellen's father left for war, leaving her mother to fall back into her depression. Although Ellen had not experienced this before, her mother did have a history of such illness. Luckily, when Ellen contacts her Aunt Pearl, she brings Ellen and her mother home with her to Snowden.
Ellen is reluctant about going, but she learns a lot about herself, people, and her family while she is there. Although she is somewhat of an outcast, she begins to befriend a boy who is older than she but still learning to read with the younger students at school. He also smells like skunk. Russell is abused by his alcoholic father who forces him to miss school to trap skunks (because their pelts are worth a good amount of money). As Ellen gets to know Russell better, she is also able to help him learn to spell and read a bit (it seems he has dyslexia).
This book ends up being a little scary owing to the domestic/child abuse/violence, so it should be selected with some care for the maturity of readers.
What I loved: There is a lot to unpack in this book, and it uses simple terms to introduce these big concepts to young readers. This is not an easy book to read, but it does a good job of talking about depression in somewhat abstract terms (as well as showing how other people to react to it/dismiss it) and dyslexia. The historical context of the war and concessions that had to be made for rationing and the like was also interesting.
What left me wanting more: I do wish there had been more resolution/resources for Russell and his mother, but this is a part of the historical context maybe and even exists now as well.
Final verdict: This is an engaging historical middle grade read that deals with some heavy topics. While it may be worth considering the maturity of the reader in selecting this book, it does have a lot of strengths in discussing the era and presenting these topics to the reader in ways that are understandable (with discussions to be started after reading).
Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
May 5, 2021
This is a beautiful story that follows a girl named Ellen and the changes she goes through during part of WWII. While her father is off fighting, she and her mother move to Snowden Mountain Virginia to live with her mother's sister, an aunt she barely knows. Ellen calls her to take them away because something is wrong with her mother. She calls that something the sadness. One of the biggest takeaways for me while reading Snowden Mountain was the beautiful way in which Jeri Watts writes about and describes depression. Her mother is deeply depressed and watching all of this from Ellen's point of view is both heartbreaking and beautiful. Snowden Mountain also touches on domestic abuse with one of it's characters and Ellen and the other characters learn through suffering there is hope and growth.
August 17, 2020
This takes place in Virginia during WWII. The story involves mental illness and abuse as well as everyday life on a mountain. This story is too depressing for me. I did enjoy the mountain setting, though.
May 25, 2019
So lovely!
I felt a gentle emotional pull all the way through to the end for Ellen and loved watching her grow. Snowden Mountain is a warm place for young readers to visit, a place where beauty, love, and friendship wait to welcome them as soon as they step off the boat.
I felt a gentle emotional pull all the way through to the end for Ellen and loved watching her grow. Snowden Mountain is a warm place for young readers to visit, a place where beauty, love, and friendship wait to welcome them as soon as they step off the boat.
November 15, 2019
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
Candlewick was so very kind to send me a lovely bookmark to add to my collection, so my heartfelt thank you to them for thinking of me and my collection! Fabulous fun.
This is a middle-grade novel that addresses topics such as fitting in, depression, relationship breakdowns, moving to a different way of life, alcoholism, abuse, abandonment, finding strength, and making new friends. This book could help immensely if introduced at any shelter or clinic that deals with any of these issues, especially the children of adults affected by one or more of the above issues.
Ellen is a brilliant character, developed using conflict to help her grow and reach her goals. She begins low on the emotional factor, having to deal with abandonment by her father who chooses to go off to war (WWII) rather than face his responsibilities, and consequently a mother who gives up and swims in the pools of depression refusing to care for Ellen. When Ellen reaches out to her mother’s estranged aunt, she deals with her decisions that cause her to self-doubt and worry she may end up like her mom. She faces adjustment to a simpler way of life that has no electricity and indoor plumbing included. She goes to a one-room school and in the beginning hates an older boy who smells like skunk and a teacher disinterested in teaching.
Ellen is complicated and layered. She frets and worries, pushes people away and ends up friends with unlikely an unlikely kid. Her growth involves Ellen’s maturing and accepting she can’t change what’s not within her ability to do so. The setting is perfect for the success of the plot. It provides a constant source of tension and aid to propel Ellen further along the story. Ellen is flawed in the beginning and expresses her dissatisfaction with her family by snubbing them; this flaw changes as the book progresses causing her to mature and become more understanding, accepting and to grow up.
I love this book and plan on adding it to my library.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
Candlewick was so very kind to send me a lovely bookmark to add to my collection, so my heartfelt thank you to them for thinking of me and my collection! Fabulous fun.
This is a middle-grade novel that addresses topics such as fitting in, depression, relationship breakdowns, moving to a different way of life, alcoholism, abuse, abandonment, finding strength, and making new friends. This book could help immensely if introduced at any shelter or clinic that deals with any of these issues, especially the children of adults affected by one or more of the above issues.
Ellen is a brilliant character, developed using conflict to help her grow and reach her goals. She begins low on the emotional factor, having to deal with abandonment by her father who chooses to go off to war (WWII) rather than face his responsibilities, and consequently a mother who gives up and swims in the pools of depression refusing to care for Ellen. When Ellen reaches out to her mother’s estranged aunt, she deals with her decisions that cause her to self-doubt and worry she may end up like her mom. She faces adjustment to a simpler way of life that has no electricity and indoor plumbing included. She goes to a one-room school and in the beginning hates an older boy who smells like skunk and a teacher disinterested in teaching.
Ellen is complicated and layered. She frets and worries, pushes people away and ends up friends with unlikely an unlikely kid. Her growth involves Ellen’s maturing and accepting she can’t change what’s not within her ability to do so. The setting is perfect for the success of the plot. It provides a constant source of tension and aid to propel Ellen further along the story. Ellen is flawed in the beginning and expresses her dissatisfaction with her family by snubbing them; this flaw changes as the book progresses causing her to mature and become more understanding, accepting and to grow up.
I love this book and plan on adding it to my library.
August 20, 2019
A heartfelt story weaving the themes of loss, abandonment, mental illness ( depression specifically) domestic violence with self awakening, resilience, acceptance, and healing through the eyes of a young girl abandoned by her father, who runs away to war to escape the reality of his wife’s spiral into depression. As Ellen struggles to care for her mother amidst the whispers and condemnation of neighbors who consider mental illness to be a choice, she reaches out for help as a last resort to her mother’s estranged sister.
Arriving in the town of Snowden Mountain, Ellen enters a world far removed from her home in Baltimore. No electricity or indoor bathrooms, a one room schoolhouse, a particular boy who smells of skunk, a teacher who has lost her passion, and a grumpy aunt combined with her mother’s continued decline make Ellen fear that she has made a mistake. As the story unfolds, we see Ellen struggle with her fears of becoming her mother as she puts together pieces of her mother’s past. After witnessing an act of domestic violence, Ellen realizes that she is not alone in her struggles and makes an important decision to reach out and thus begin the journey of becoming a young adult. An invitation from the town’s self-proclaimed social queen provides Ellen with an interesting opportunity to learn more about herself. An unlikely friendship between outcasts develops as Ellen navigates the twisty path of complex human relationships and begins to believe in herself and appreciate the people in her life.
On Snowden Mountain is an excellent addition to school libraries and counseling centers. A must read for young people struggling with family centered mental illness and the path to acceptance and healing. Also a good read to help others understand the family dynamics of people struggling with depression. I read it in one day.... couldn’t put it down!
Content awareness: brief physical violence in 2 scenes- content suitable for 5th grade and up.
Arriving in the town of Snowden Mountain, Ellen enters a world far removed from her home in Baltimore. No electricity or indoor bathrooms, a one room schoolhouse, a particular boy who smells of skunk, a teacher who has lost her passion, and a grumpy aunt combined with her mother’s continued decline make Ellen fear that she has made a mistake. As the story unfolds, we see Ellen struggle with her fears of becoming her mother as she puts together pieces of her mother’s past. After witnessing an act of domestic violence, Ellen realizes that she is not alone in her struggles and makes an important decision to reach out and thus begin the journey of becoming a young adult. An invitation from the town’s self-proclaimed social queen provides Ellen with an interesting opportunity to learn more about herself. An unlikely friendship between outcasts develops as Ellen navigates the twisty path of complex human relationships and begins to believe in herself and appreciate the people in her life.
On Snowden Mountain is an excellent addition to school libraries and counseling centers. A must read for young people struggling with family centered mental illness and the path to acceptance and healing. Also a good read to help others understand the family dynamics of people struggling with depression. I read it in one day.... couldn’t put it down!
Content awareness: brief physical violence in 2 scenes- content suitable for 5th grade and up.
July 19, 2019
Candlewick Press is releasing some excellent titles. On Snowden Mountain is no exception. It's a heartfelt novel full of complex issues handled very sympathetically for its middle grade audience.
This WWII-set book starts with 12-year-old Ellen Hollingsworth, whose Aunt Pearl takes her and her mother to Snowden, Virginia, from their home in Baltimore. Ellen's father has proudly signed up for the war and her mother has retreated too far into herself to care for either of them. It's not easy to adjust to this simple way of life: there's no electricity and she's got a classmate who smells of skunks. But as she worries that she will fall to the same depression that has claimed her mom, she finds a way for both of them to find themselves.
Jeri Watts introduces the reader to some heavy topics here: alcoholism, abuse (both child and spousal), and mental illness (depression notably, and how children are forced to grapple with what befalls their parents), but they're dealt with deftly and certainly there are so many children dealing with these issues that it's a timely and important novel. In the book, it's Russell and Ellen dealing with them specifically, and both kids display a good amount of agency in handling their troubles responsibly and thoughtfully.
Ellen herself is a great character. She is not without her flaws--she's at first ungrateful to have been taken in by her aunt (and her decision to have Thanksgiving with Moselle instead of her family highlights this) and she treats Russell very badly at first, but she learns to grow and you can't help but love her.
I would absolutely recommend this book to a variety of readers: those who love historical fiction, those struggling with any of the issues that appear here, or anyone looking for a darn good story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing this review copy.
This WWII-set book starts with 12-year-old Ellen Hollingsworth, whose Aunt Pearl takes her and her mother to Snowden, Virginia, from their home in Baltimore. Ellen's father has proudly signed up for the war and her mother has retreated too far into herself to care for either of them. It's not easy to adjust to this simple way of life: there's no electricity and she's got a classmate who smells of skunks. But as she worries that she will fall to the same depression that has claimed her mom, she finds a way for both of them to find themselves.
Jeri Watts introduces the reader to some heavy topics here: alcoholism, abuse (both child and spousal), and mental illness (depression notably, and how children are forced to grapple with what befalls their parents), but they're dealt with deftly and certainly there are so many children dealing with these issues that it's a timely and important novel. In the book, it's Russell and Ellen dealing with them specifically, and both kids display a good amount of agency in handling their troubles responsibly and thoughtfully.
Ellen herself is a great character. She is not without her flaws--she's at first ungrateful to have been taken in by her aunt (and her decision to have Thanksgiving with Moselle instead of her family highlights this) and she treats Russell very badly at first, but she learns to grow and you can't help but love her.
I would absolutely recommend this book to a variety of readers: those who love historical fiction, those struggling with any of the issues that appear here, or anyone looking for a darn good story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for providing this review copy.
August 8, 2019
I have come to trust a select number of publishers for their consistently good books. One of those I particlarly trust is Candlewick Press, the publisher of On Snowden Mountain, written by Jeri Watts.
Watts has crafted a tale of depth, touching on themes of loneliness, being an outsider, family dynamics, mental illness, and the affects of war. The main character, Ellen, at only twelve is left in charge of her ailing mother when her father voluntarily enlists in the military. When resources run out and she has nowhere else to turn, Ellen seeks out the help of her Aunt Pearl.
With Pearl helping to care for Ellen's mother, Ellen is able to enroll in school. But what a school! Ellen can't help comper her previous, modern, city school with the sub-par offering in the rural community where Aunt Pearl lives--it's like stepping back into the dark ages! Just imagine going from indoor plumbing to an outhouse and having to share one teacher for multiple grades!
Ellen soon finds out that people can learn to create their own happiness and it doesn't depend on where you live or who you live with. Ellen learns more about her mother's upbringing and comes to appreciate the strength and compassion (hidden below the surface) of her Aunt Pearl. And most importantly, Ellen finds out that friendship isn't always about what you can get, but what you can give.
This was a beautifully crafted tale about a girl who learns that while she can't change her circumstances, she can learn to rise above them. Who would have thought that Ellen would learn so many life lessons on Snowden Mountain?
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of On Snowden Mountain for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.
Watts has crafted a tale of depth, touching on themes of loneliness, being an outsider, family dynamics, mental illness, and the affects of war. The main character, Ellen, at only twelve is left in charge of her ailing mother when her father voluntarily enlists in the military. When resources run out and she has nowhere else to turn, Ellen seeks out the help of her Aunt Pearl.
With Pearl helping to care for Ellen's mother, Ellen is able to enroll in school. But what a school! Ellen can't help comper her previous, modern, city school with the sub-par offering in the rural community where Aunt Pearl lives--it's like stepping back into the dark ages! Just imagine going from indoor plumbing to an outhouse and having to share one teacher for multiple grades!
Ellen soon finds out that people can learn to create their own happiness and it doesn't depend on where you live or who you live with. Ellen learns more about her mother's upbringing and comes to appreciate the strength and compassion (hidden below the surface) of her Aunt Pearl. And most importantly, Ellen finds out that friendship isn't always about what you can get, but what you can give.
This was a beautifully crafted tale about a girl who learns that while she can't change her circumstances, she can learn to rise above them. Who would have thought that Ellen would learn so many life lessons on Snowden Mountain?
Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of On Snowden Mountain for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.
September 20, 2019
Jeri Watts begins her book, On Snowden Mountain, with her 12-year-old protagonist Ellen out of options since she had burned up every pot and pan and used up all the groceries and credit at the store. Since her father volunteered for WWII and her mother has retreated into depression, she has no choice but to call in help from Aunt Pearl who whisks her and her mother away from Baltimore to Snowden Mountain – definitely not what she had in mind when she called for aid.
The Appalachian setting and the people in it, strange to Ellen at first, set a place for her to learn that other people struggle in ways that are equally as hard as hers. The treatment of her mother’s mental illness by concealing it rings true to the time and place as does her keeping to herself the worry that she will inherit the trait. Feeling out of place in the community where everybody knows everybody else and gossips about her family, she forms an unlikely friendship with Russell who is truant from the one-room school to hunt for skunks more often than he attends. He, too, is an outsider, a big kid also ridiculed because he hasn’t learned to read or cipher because of his absences.
Russell and his mother, both abused by his father, show surprising strengths as well as weaknesses as the mother uses folk medicines and gentle talk to help Ellen’s mother and Russell shows a surprising talent and teaches Ellen about nature as she helps him with reading and numbers.
On Snowden Mountain is a well-told quiet story for a middle schooler who likes realistic historical fiction set in a place and time that’s a little different. The ending doesn’t tie all up in a happily-ever-after place, but leaves the possibilities open for better times.
The Appalachian setting and the people in it, strange to Ellen at first, set a place for her to learn that other people struggle in ways that are equally as hard as hers. The treatment of her mother’s mental illness by concealing it rings true to the time and place as does her keeping to herself the worry that she will inherit the trait. Feeling out of place in the community where everybody knows everybody else and gossips about her family, she forms an unlikely friendship with Russell who is truant from the one-room school to hunt for skunks more often than he attends. He, too, is an outsider, a big kid also ridiculed because he hasn’t learned to read or cipher because of his absences.
Russell and his mother, both abused by his father, show surprising strengths as well as weaknesses as the mother uses folk medicines and gentle talk to help Ellen’s mother and Russell shows a surprising talent and teaches Ellen about nature as she helps him with reading and numbers.
On Snowden Mountain is a well-told quiet story for a middle schooler who likes realistic historical fiction set in a place and time that’s a little different. The ending doesn’t tie all up in a happily-ever-after place, but leaves the possibilities open for better times.
May 30, 2019
Ellen’s father has gone off to fight against Hitler and left her to take care of herself and her mother, who had fallen into one of her deep sadnesses. At 12 years old, this is a huge task for Ellen. Soon there is no food left in the house and no credit left at the store. She has no choice but to contact an aunt she hardly knows for help. Thinking her aunt will come to Baltimore and stay with them and help, Ellen is shocked when Aunt Pearl shows up, packs a few of their things, and takes Ellen and her mother to a tiny town in the mountains. There Ellen meets some people who will help to shape her life — Russel Armentrout, the Skunk Boy; Mr. Pritchert, the mailman; Miss Spencer, town teacher; Moselle Toms, the town gossip and troublemaker; and Mrs. Armentrout, an old friend of Ellen’s mother and an expert healer with herbs. She learns some important lessons about her family and about herself.
Jeri Watts has written a compelling story filled with fully-formed, credible characters, each of whom has a complete backstory of his or her own alluded to by the author, but without taking over Ellen’s story. Watts writing is gorgeous and will transport readers to another time and place. “The sharp late-fall sky was so clear, so deep, it seemed I could see all the way to the stars of tomorrow night.” This is a book that deserves readership far beyond it’s intended middle-grade audience. Don’t miss this wonderful book. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Jeri Watts has written a compelling story filled with fully-formed, credible characters, each of whom has a complete backstory of his or her own alluded to by the author, but without taking over Ellen’s story. Watts writing is gorgeous and will transport readers to another time and place. “The sharp late-fall sky was so clear, so deep, it seemed I could see all the way to the stars of tomorrow night.” This is a book that deserves readership far beyond it’s intended middle-grade audience. Don’t miss this wonderful book. I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2019
Ellen is a precocious child left in the care of her depressed mother when her father leaves to fight in WWII. She contacts her Aunt Pearl for help, and together she and her mother move in with Aunt Pearl in a bucolic small town at the foot of the mountains. As Ellen adjusts to the small town life (very different from the cosmopolitan Baltimore she's familiar with), she makes a new friend, learns more about her family, and thinks about her future.
I was interested in this one, because depression didn't suddenly start happening post-1980s. I thought it would be a fascinating historical look at the disease. Unfortunately, this one didn't rock my world. The tone was very uneven - the first few pages seemed stiff and awkward, but it loosened up, only to regress near the end. I can't quite put my finger on what it was (not enough description?), but the writing didn't flow like it should.
The middle part did pick up considerably, and readers are treated to some wonderful description of the scenery, and an interesting character in the form of Ellen's new friend, Russ, who traps skunks for a living and lives under the thumb of his abusive father. Ellen, though, never quite meshed. Her inward thoughts seemed very surface-level, and I never quite felt like she was real. In some cases, this was due to inconsistencies (she regularly describes things in terms like "patina" and "odious", but then refers to her mother's illness as "the sad"), but in others, it just felt like she was thinking of fear, but not really feeling it. One thing in particular drew me up sharp, which was Moselle's fascination with Ellen. While I understand that Moselle is meant to be a vapid woman who dreams of moving to a big city, it still felt completely unrealistic that she would befriend Ellen, who is much younger than she is.
That said, I did love the characterization of Ellen's parents. Unlike the mindless brutes or oh-so-loving parents in most YA novels, Ellen's parents are surprisingly nuanced. Her father is characterized as loving, but shallow and short-sighted; her mother is likewise shown to be a little bit more vain and prone to fripperies than most. They're flawed, human characters, and not ones you usually see in YA novels.
All in all, worth reading, but needed some polishing to be really great.
NB: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for free through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.
I was interested in this one, because depression didn't suddenly start happening post-1980s. I thought it would be a fascinating historical look at the disease. Unfortunately, this one didn't rock my world. The tone was very uneven - the first few pages seemed stiff and awkward, but it loosened up, only to regress near the end. I can't quite put my finger on what it was (not enough description?), but the writing didn't flow like it should.
The middle part did pick up considerably, and readers are treated to some wonderful description of the scenery, and an interesting character in the form of Ellen's new friend, Russ, who traps skunks for a living and lives under the thumb of his abusive father. Ellen, though, never quite meshed. Her inward thoughts seemed very surface-level, and I never quite felt like she was real. In some cases, this was due to inconsistencies (she regularly describes things in terms like "patina" and "odious", but then refers to her mother's illness as "the sad"), but in others, it just felt like she was thinking of fear, but not really feeling it. One thing in particular drew me up sharp, which was Moselle's fascination with Ellen. While I understand that Moselle is meant to be a vapid woman who dreams of moving to a big city, it still felt completely unrealistic that she would befriend Ellen, who is much younger than she is.
That said, I did love the characterization of Ellen's parents. Unlike the mindless brutes or oh-so-loving parents in most YA novels, Ellen's parents are surprisingly nuanced. Her father is characterized as loving, but shallow and short-sighted; her mother is likewise shown to be a little bit more vain and prone to fripperies than most. They're flawed, human characters, and not ones you usually see in YA novels.
All in all, worth reading, but needed some polishing to be really great.
NB: A copy of this book was provided by the publisher for free through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2019
Jeri Watts’ On Snowden Mountain is a compassionate look at life when times are difficult and even harsh. It is a book of depth with many complexities that are not spelled out to the readers but given to them to think on just as Ellen had to do much thinking.
WWII Snowden, Virginia is much different from the world today but the issues of parental separation, a sense of belonging, alcoholism, abuse, mental illness and prejudice is still just as current. Seeing through Ellen’s eyes and heart, we see what she observes, feels and begins to understand about people, actions and family. Perhaps as she finds her strength and place others can learn from her to find their own.
As an elementary educator, I had thought from the cover that perhaps this would be s book for fourth to fifth graders but it is definitely a middle school maturity level story. Younger readers may not find the events disturbing but instead it may just go over their heads without any real thought as they read. Also the ending is abrupt leaving one wishing to know what happens at the end of the train ride with Ellen and her family but likewise with Russell and his mother. Perhaps the author wishes to leave that to our imagination but, boy, would I like to see these characters five or six years from when the book ended.
The publisher through Net Galley provided an ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.
WWII Snowden, Virginia is much different from the world today but the issues of parental separation, a sense of belonging, alcoholism, abuse, mental illness and prejudice is still just as current. Seeing through Ellen’s eyes and heart, we see what she observes, feels and begins to understand about people, actions and family. Perhaps as she finds her strength and place others can learn from her to find their own.
As an elementary educator, I had thought from the cover that perhaps this would be s book for fourth to fifth graders but it is definitely a middle school maturity level story. Younger readers may not find the events disturbing but instead it may just go over their heads without any real thought as they read. Also the ending is abrupt leaving one wishing to know what happens at the end of the train ride with Ellen and her family but likewise with Russell and his mother. Perhaps the author wishes to leave that to our imagination but, boy, would I like to see these characters five or six years from when the book ended.
The publisher through Net Galley provided an ARC. I have voluntarily decided to read and review, giving my personal opinions and thoughts.
September 24, 2019
Ellen’s mother has fallen into a deep depression and is unable to care for herself or her daughter. Ellen’s father is away fighting in Europe (WWII). Ellen reaches out to her Aunt Pearl who immediately takes Ellen and her mother from their home in Baltimore to her hometown of Snowden, Virginia, a quiet town without electricity or indoor plumbing. There Ellen meets Russell, an older boy who can’t read, smells of skunk constantly (he traps them for money) and has a physically abusive father. Ellen begins to help Russell learn his letters and in turn he shares his art with her and helps her to see that her mother’s depression isn’t a choice. Ellen will learn that people aren’t what they seem and her mama’s “skittery problem” may not go away anytime soon. Can people change? Will the problems of one generation pass on to a new generation? On Snowden Mountain addresses issues like child abuse, mental health and depression. Beautiful writing makes this book stand out, but there are some flaws.
I had trouble getting into the book at first and it wasn’t compelling enough for me to want to pick it up. The first person voice feels a little misplaced at times and in parts Ellen gives a lot of background on her family’s life in a way that feels unnatural for the reader. Also, some readers may find the friendship between Russell and Ellen a bit odd and maybe even problematic given that he is much older.
I had trouble getting into the book at first and it wasn’t compelling enough for me to want to pick it up. The first person voice feels a little misplaced at times and in parts Ellen gives a lot of background on her family’s life in a way that feels unnatural for the reader. Also, some readers may find the friendship between Russell and Ellen a bit odd and maybe even problematic given that he is much older.
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September 15, 2020School Library Journal recommends this book for grades 6 - 8.
Twelve-year-old Ellen learns the quiet strength of family when her mother's deep depression prompts her to ask an estranged aunt for help.Ellen's mother has struggled with depression before, but not like this. With her father away fighting in World War II and her mother unable to care for them, Ellen's only option is to reach out to her cold, distant aunt Pearl. Soon enough, city-dwelling Ellen and her mother are shepherded off to the countryside to Aunt Pearl's home, a neat little cabin at the base of Snowden Mountain. Adjusting to life in a small town is no easy thing: the school has one room, one of her classmates smells of skunks, and members of the community seem to whisper about Ellen's family. But even as she worries that depression is a family curse to which she'll inevitably succumb, Ellen slowly begins to carve out a space for herself and her mother on Snowden Mountain in this thoughtful, heartfelt middle-grade novel from Jeri Watts
Subject: Depression, Mental -- Juvenile fiction.
Families -- Juvenile fiction.
Moving, Household -- Juvenile fiction.
Country life -- Juvenile fiction.
Rural conditions -- Juvenile fiction.
Home -- Juvenile fiction.
Geographic Term: Big Island (Va.) -- Juvenile fiction.
Twelve-year-old Ellen learns the quiet strength of family when her mother's deep depression prompts her to ask an estranged aunt for help.Ellen's mother has struggled with depression before, but not like this. With her father away fighting in World War II and her mother unable to care for them, Ellen's only option is to reach out to her cold, distant aunt Pearl. Soon enough, city-dwelling Ellen and her mother are shepherded off to the countryside to Aunt Pearl's home, a neat little cabin at the base of Snowden Mountain. Adjusting to life in a small town is no easy thing: the school has one room, one of her classmates smells of skunks, and members of the community seem to whisper about Ellen's family. But even as she worries that depression is a family curse to which she'll inevitably succumb, Ellen slowly begins to carve out a space for herself and her mother on Snowden Mountain in this thoughtful, heartfelt middle-grade novel from Jeri Watts
Subject: Depression, Mental -- Juvenile fiction.
Families -- Juvenile fiction.
Moving, Household -- Juvenile fiction.
Country life -- Juvenile fiction.
Rural conditions -- Juvenile fiction.
Home -- Juvenile fiction.
Geographic Term: Big Island (Va.) -- Juvenile fiction.
July 29, 2019
Middle School Interest levels 6-7
Readability 5-6/Content 6-8
On Snowden Mountain is a story about Ellen's journey during her time on Snowden Mountain with her aunt. She has to learn to adjust to 'country life' as opposed to her known and safe 'city life'. She meets people that cause her to learn and grow as a person and in her beliefs.
The book talks about both depression and abuse. The issues aren't always laid out in black and white, but talked about in a more round-a-bout way. More describing the issue than saying, "she has depression" or "he is abusive". The author does a good job of describing depression, what it looks like, and how it impacts others around the loved one.
The story is rather short, just over 200 pages long. It is easy enough that it could engage reluctant readers, as long as they are okay with historical fiction. People who enjoy historical fiction should like this book. Parents should just be aware that it discusses depression and abuse as not everyone is comfortable with their middle schooler being exposed to that.
(*Note: I received this copy through Goodreads' Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review.)
Readability 5-6/Content 6-8
On Snowden Mountain is a story about Ellen's journey during her time on Snowden Mountain with her aunt. She has to learn to adjust to 'country life' as opposed to her known and safe 'city life'. She meets people that cause her to learn and grow as a person and in her beliefs.
The book talks about both depression and abuse. The issues aren't always laid out in black and white, but talked about in a more round-a-bout way. More describing the issue than saying, "she has depression" or "he is abusive". The author does a good job of describing depression, what it looks like, and how it impacts others around the loved one.
The story is rather short, just over 200 pages long. It is easy enough that it could engage reluctant readers, as long as they are okay with historical fiction. People who enjoy historical fiction should like this book. Parents should just be aware that it discusses depression and abuse as not everyone is comfortable with their middle schooler being exposed to that.
(*Note: I received this copy through Goodreads' Giveaway program in exchange for an honest review.)
September 13, 2019
Let me guess...you've been pulled in by the tranquil scene and charming title this one comes wrapped in...am I right? Don't worry, I was too...and yet what awaits you within is so very HEAVY. This is a not a light read, by any means, as it tackles topics like bullying, depression, war, separation, abuse, and poverty, in what at times felt like a much more grown up way than I had imagined for the intended audience. Honestly, I still feel that way too. It's not a bad book, it's just the topics covered ARE, and in the way they are presented, I can't help but feel that it would sit better with an older audience, or at the very least with a lot of guidance. I'm not saying these things don't happen...sadly they do...but despite Ellen's coming to terms with life being bigger than simply herself, and understanding the lots of others can be so much harder to bare than she may ever know, it wasn't enough to turn my opinion. So, yes...a hard hitting book worthy of your time, I just caution younger readers indulging without a strong and trusted adult presence.
**ARC received for review; opinions are my own
**ARC received for review; opinions are my own
October 6, 2019
When 6th grade Ellen's father volunteers for service in World War II, Ellen is left alone in their Baltimore apartment with her severely depressed mother. Knowing she cannot handle her mother's illness on her own, Ellen writes to her Aunt Pearl, whom she hardly knows, for help. Aunt Pearl arrives, packs them up, moves them out, and takes them home to Snowden Mountain. There is no electricity, no running water, just beautiful and soothing Mother Nature. Ellen meets a boy in her one-room schoolhouse who stinks. Turns out, he is a skunk pelt hunter, forced by his father to do the work the men in the family have done for generations. Ellen befriends Russell and learns that he's an incredible artist. Ellen's mother starts to feel a bit better because of Russell's mother's home remedies, but Ellen worries that she herself will become depressed. Aunt Pearl starts off rough but ends up being loyal, loving, and caring (hence the name Pearl, perhaps). This is a tried and true plot, but with the addition of depression. I wish the author had taken the time at the end of the book to describe a bit more about the conditions and treatment of bipolar disorder.
June 19, 2019
With her father off fighting in WWII Ellen doesn’t know how to care for her sunken, depressed mother. Upon reaching out to her estranged Aunt Pearl, Ellen and her mother are whisked off to Snowden, Virginia, a small town lacking in Baltimore’s comforts. In her newly simple life, a life without electricity and indoor plumbing, Ellen meets an unlikely friend, Russell. Like Ellen, Russell hides his family life from prying eyes. This is a story of friendship, healing and finding home where you least expect, but is it enough to save her mother from her all-consuming darkness?
On Snowden Mountain places WWII so far on the fringe you forget the book is set in the 1940’s, this could have easily been a current day story not unlike the non-fiction Hillbilly Elegy and while Ellen’s story of tough times and resilience are fiction, the lessons and themes enraptured within are far from it. Heartwarming, heartbreaking and heart stopping, this is a read for all ages.
*Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
On Snowden Mountain places WWII so far on the fringe you forget the book is set in the 1940’s, this could have easily been a current day story not unlike the non-fiction Hillbilly Elegy and while Ellen’s story of tough times and resilience are fiction, the lessons and themes enraptured within are far from it. Heartwarming, heartbreaking and heart stopping, this is a read for all ages.
*Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
July 18, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it is a book that covers depression and abuse in a way that is appropriate for middle grade readers. On the other hand, there was some swearing that I don't feel is appropriate for middle grader readers. Also it was really short, which is great for some readers who don't have the stamina for a longer book but it also felt like we were missing parts of the story as it jumped through the timeline pretty quickly. But maybe younger readers won't be bothered by it.
The message of the book is good: that we all have the freedom to make different choices than people who come before us and so let's make the best choices we can. There is also the message of being careful of judging others because we rarely know the whole story.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
The message of the book is good: that we all have the freedom to make different choices than people who come before us and so let's make the best choices we can. There is also the message of being careful of judging others because we rarely know the whole story.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 6, 2019
When Ellen’s mother falls into a deep bout of depression, Aunt Pearl comes to take them from Baltimore to Snowden mountain. Ellen struggles with the backwardness of the rural mountain community (as often referenced with her constant comparisons to life in Baltimore, we get it honey, you lived in the city) but learns that fine appearances aren’t everything , and everyone has their own personal struggles.
The themes of depression and some particularly heavy instances of domestic abuse might make this book a little too much for the younger end of the recommended ages (8-12).
I read an ARC copy that I received from the publisher, a fact which does not influence my review.
The themes of depression and some particularly heavy instances of domestic abuse might make this book a little too much for the younger end of the recommended ages (8-12).
I read an ARC copy that I received from the publisher, a fact which does not influence my review.
October 18, 2023
While WWII is raging across the world, Ellen is fighting her own battles dealing with her mother who is in a prolonged depressed state of being. Ellen reaches out to her aunt who has been distant in the past, but who now shoulders the burdens which were cast on to Ellen when her father joined the army despite not having to join.
There are complex issues in the story like abandonment, depression, physical and mental abuse but there is still hope when people like Aunt Pearl are in your corner.
Lovely passages make the story even more poignant.
There are complex issues in the story like abandonment, depression, physical and mental abuse but there is still hope when people like Aunt Pearl are in your corner.
Lovely passages make the story even more poignant.
December 18, 2019
Mixed feels for this book. It is a sweet book. I think Russell/Rooster relationship is believably harsh. The mom dealing with depression is well written. I enjoyed the growth and understanding between our main character and her aunt.
I was concerned about the religious overtones. It felt didactic and took away from a great story. I get what the author was trying to do, but I didn't think it was needed.
I was concerned about the religious overtones. It felt didactic and took away from a great story. I get what the author was trying to do, but I didn't think it was needed.
September 30, 2020
A 12 year old girl struggles on her own with her moms depression while her dad fights in WWII, so she moves with an aunt to the mountains and learns about life and her own strength. This book was a solid 4 until the ending. Short, unsatisfying ending. And I wanted the relationship with her aunt to be better developed.
November 25, 2019
I thought this book was good and showed how certain things were left not discussed. I liked Russell and Ellen and thought that their circumstances were told well. I wanted to know that they were okay and wished the story went on.
CA
CA
December 5, 2019
A gorgeous novel about family and friendship. Beautiful descriptions of the wilderness and life in the mountains.
December 27, 2019
I expected more from the book with the most gorgeous cover ever.
January 3, 2020
Great book for middle school
Talks about mental health and abusive family members
Talks about mental health and abusive family members
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