The Mountain

by Rebecca Gugger, Simon Röthlisberger (Illustrator)

Could everyone be right in this light-hearted story about different perspectives?



The bear knows exactly what the mountain looks like—a forest. The sheep, octopus, and ant also know the mountain. It’s a meadow! It’s surrounded by water! It’s a maze of tunnels! The chamois and snow hare have their opinions too. It seems the mountain looks different to every animal. How can that be? And whose point of view is right?

Rebecca Gugger and Simon Röthlisberger’s insightful story about tolerance is told in their feather light way.

"A natural for storytime, this humorous tale elevates the beauty of many perspectives."— Kirkus Reviews

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Nature, Fiction

48 pages, Hardcover

First published May 9, 2022

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This picture book is full of nature appreciation and I feel so blessed now!

The artwork is so amazing that it felt like I was watching a short animation

Kudos to the artist. You are doing such an amazing job! The kids are blessed. The adults who are going to read this book to the kids are blessed!

Ice age vibes tough! Love it!

Thank you, authors and the publisher, for the advance reading copy.

[Milton Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bear, sheep, octopus, ant, chamois, and snow hare know all about what a mountain is but cannot agree! They argue about it being rocky, snow covered, forested, and even under water! Bird cannot stand this arguing any more and wonders if any of the animals have ever climbed the mountain to find out for themselves what a mountain is. At this suggestion, the group of animals climb the mountain together (octopus included, while wearing a dome of water over it's head) and discover that they were all correct in their own ways, while also realizing they may look at the world in unique ways.

I truly loved this book that is ripe with beautiful illustrations, a cute story, and an abundant appreciation for nature. The book itself is beautifully crafted and feels good to the touch. Believe me, this is a thing! My kids and I enjoyed the book immensely and we definitely recommend it to you too!

Find it in our SHARE Catalog today!

Ashley C. / Milton Public Library #CheckOutMPL

[Cristina Di Matteo · Rating 4 out of 5]

LA MONTAGNA di Rebecca Gugger e Simon Röthlisberger. Un albo illustrato breve ricco di dialoghi ideale per affrontare, con acutezza, vivacità e un pizzico di umorismo, uno dei temi fondamentali della convivenza pacifica: la tolleranza e l’apertura ad altre opinioni. Da 4 anni ❤ https://ilmondodichri.com/la-montagna/

#lamontagna #glifoedizioni

[donna backshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my, those illustrations are to die for! I got a fresh and quirky Where the Wild Things Are vibe from the art, that immersive energy few books manage to achieve. Where some books are sparse and specific, this book's pictures are rich and splendid. I was happy to see them tell most of the tale.

The story is a common one, but with a new(ish) twist. Everyone has their opinion of what "a mountain" is, based on their own perspective. It's kind of a Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions lesson, in kid-speak, and totally approachable.

"Curious, bold, fearful, brave, fleet-footed, and high-spirited, the animals set off" to see what the mountain could be for each of them. What a wonder they discovered!

[Rosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The value that the world needs most in today’s world is tolerance. This book is a beautiful resource for little children to help them understand how perspectives can be different without affecting the truth.

The illustrations reminded me of the Russia storybooks I used to read in my childhood. They are absolutely stunning.

I’ve knocked off a star because I think the book ended too soon. It was building up so beautifully towards the finale but the ending felt incomplete. Felt like it raises a valuable point but ends without establishing it firmly. There was a golden opportunity for moral lessons, for the animals to reach an understanding with each other, for them to realise their mistake, for them to acknowledge that all of them were right in their own way and that they should have understood the reason for the different opinions without dismissing them outright. But all this is left up to the parents or guardians to discuss with the children. For independent readers, it helps having the morals in writing, at least to a certain extent. Alternatively, the book could have ended with introspective questions for the little readers asking them their opinion on the animals’ argument.

There was this lovely poem I read in my school English textbook many eons ago. It told us of six blind men who bump into an elephant and try to guess what type of creature it might be. Each insists that his own guess is perfect and the others are wrong. The story in this book reminded me of that beloved rhyme. (The poem was titled “The Blind Men and the Elephant” and written by John Godfrey Saxe. It was based on parables found in ancient Buddhist texts. You can read the poem here, and if you are interested in the parable, you can check out its page on Wikipedia here.

This shouldn’t take away from the book. The message it propagates is an absolute must for every child and adult in today’s world. There are enough idiots who see things only from their perspective and believe everyone else to be wrong. A truly humane society with tolerance and empathy is the need of the hour.

Thank you, NetGalley and North South Books Inc., for the Advanced Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.



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[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful and appealing illustrations, a smart and important message, and a succinct use of words. I don't know how exciting the story would be for small children (I didn't test it on any), but as an adult I enjoyed it.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations were beautiful, as my boys and I read the book together we felt as if we were falling into the page.⁣
⁣
𝑺𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒔: 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑙𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑒—𝑎 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡. 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑝, 𝑜𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑝𝑢𝑠, 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑚𝑜𝑖𝑠, 𝑠𝑛𝑜𝑤 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒. 𝐼𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑚𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑘𝑠 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑙. 𝐻𝑜𝑤 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑏𝑒? 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑠𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑖𝑒𝑤 𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡?⁣
⁣
This is a fun loving story to help kids easily comprehend the action of taking a step back to see things through a new lens. My children and I really enjoyed this book, especially for its pictures. The abrupt ending did however cause a few confused kiddos, what is obvious to the adult reader needed further explanation to the kids.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted eARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

[April Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group of animals- a bear, a sheep, a chamois, an ant, an octopus, and a snow hare- are talking about the Mountain, and each has a different idea about what the mountain is- a forest, a meadow, rocky and stony and steep, a maze with lots of tunnels, wet and surrounded by water, or white everywhere, and cold. An argument breaks out, with lots of yelling, and finally the bird tells them all to be quiet. Bird asks if any of them had ever been to the Mountain, and they set out to see it, and prove the others wrong. What answers will they find when they reach the top?
The illustrations in this are just wonderful, vibrant and full of detail. I enjoyed the story, and it does convey the message about different people having different perspectives, and that just because someone else's perspective is different than yours doesn't mean it's wrong, but it ends so abruptly! I think the story could've had another couple of pages to discuss the message rather than just leaving it implied. Still, I would recommend this book, just add some discussion at the end.

#TheMountain #NetGalley

[Etienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnificent picture book! The artwork is stunning! The story is also great. It was fun and entertaining, but it also help children and adult talk about different point of view. How we can sometime see something in a different way from someone else, and still be both right, but also both wrong at the same time and how we can learn and grow by sharing our opinions and our thoughts, something that not many people do in this world anymore. We like those who think alike and comment negatively those who don't. We don't share, we don't arguments anymore, we express yourself and that's is. So that it make it an important book now more than ever. I love it!

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very creative way to show different perspectives from various animals. Cute story with vivid illustrations. I loved the details of the ant's house. This book should be required reading for everyone in politics. It did end a bit abruptly but overall it is definitely a keeper.

*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Tapani Aulu · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hienot kuvat, mutta tarina meillä vähän huti.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, simple picture book in which a group of animals argue over their different perspectives of a mountain. Filled with cute and colorful illustrations but has a bit of a sudden introduction and conclusion as far as the conflict is concerned.

[Maddie Deacon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just fantastic! The book provides primary aged children with an understanding of perspectives. It allows children to understand that each individual can have a perspective on something without it affecting the truth. The importance of tolerance is present throughout and is a great way for children to understand how we are all entitled to our own opinion.

The illustrations provide children with different view points of the mountain and shares different animals experiences. The lack of words in this book allows the reader to make their own interpretations.

I love that by the end of the book all the animals came together and excepted each other and the different views. This book gives a real sense of togetherness and solidarity.

It leaves us with the question of how can we actually describe something that we haven't really experienced...

[Rebecca Crunden]

Oh my gosh, the artwork in this is simply gorgeous and colourful and just so wonderful. I loved all the extra details in each page and the way the animals and their ideas of the mountain are depicted. This is such a lovely little book, definitely give it a shot!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

☆ Blog | Twitter ☆

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Translated by Marshall Yarbrough, Rebecca Gugger and Simon Rothlisberger use text, drawings, and a variety of animals who live on, in, and around a mountain and believe their view describes a mountain, to teach the acceptance of diversity. A beautiful book for elementary students and science classes.

[Bonnie Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can you possibly describe a mountain if you haven’t actually seen the view from the top? Several animals share their opinion. It seems the mountain looks different to everyone. Tolerance and point of view are important themes in this beautifully illustrated picture book.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Embark on a delightful adventure with "The Mountain," a whimsical tale that explores the beauty of diverse perspectives. Authored by Rebecca Gugger and brought to life by Simon Röthlisberger, this light-hearted story introduces us to a charming cast of characters, each convinced they know precisely what the mountain looks like.

As I delved into the pages of this book, I found myself enchanted by the bear's conviction that the mountain is a forest. Simultaneously, the sheep, octopus, ant, chamois, and snow hare offer their own unique interpretations. It's a playful exploration of differing viewpoints, challenging the reader to question whose perspective holds the truth.

Rebecca Gugger and Simon Röthlisberger masterfully weave a narrative that goes beyond the surface, offering insightful lessons on tolerance. The feather-light touch of their storytelling adds a layer of whimsy to the overarching theme, making it accessible to readers of all ages. The illustrations dance across the pages, capturing the essence of each character's conviction with vibrant colors and charming details.

What resonated with me was the book's ability to convey a profound message through a seemingly simple story. It's a celebration of diversity, encouraging readers to embrace varying perspectives with an open heart. In a world where understanding and acceptance are paramount, "The Mountain" stands as a beacon of gentle wisdom, reminding us that truth is often a matter of perception.

"The Mountain" is a journey into empathy, tolerance, and the magic that unfolds when we appreciate the beauty of diverse viewpoints. A delightful read that sparks laughter, contemplation, and a renewed appreciation for the unique ways we all see the world.

[Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the story of this book. It reminds me of something my mother used to tell me. That if you were to ask 10 different people to describe an elephant that the perspective would be different for every one of them. One might even question if they're looking at the same animal. That could be for many reasons. One person being short, one person being tall. One person focusing on the colors, one person focusing on the textures. And every single one of them would be right. I feel like the moral of this book needs to be read by every single person in America because frankly we suck at listening to each other. We're all so busy telling each other that our opinion is the only one that matters that we can't see the merit in a multitude of opinions and perspectives. The human race will go nowhere if we're unwilling to hear each other's perspectives. So I'm really glad that the author took on that idea for these children because it's something our society severely Lacks. The drawings are so so cute. I absolutely loved the one where they're all yelling and fighting for their opinion. And I love that in the end, the animals come together because they were all given a paradigm shift. I enjoyed this book but I felt that it could have been expanded on a little bit more to make it feel a little bit more complete.

Thank you #netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Novel Obsession]

Rebecca Gugger tells a delightful tale about animals who disagree about what a mountain is in her book, The Mountain. Each animal has a different idea of what the mountain is and believes others are wrong. Not until the animals are trek the entire mountain, with the octopus in a diver’s mask full of water, that the animals begin to see that there is more to the mountain than they originally thought. At the end, they agree that what they each originally thought was just a portion of the truth and that sometimes you need to look at things from other perspectives in order fully understand a situation. The book could get a little preachy about the moral, but the full color illustrations really anchor this story. They are gorgeous and really make the story into a book you would want to read with your child.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was provided by North South Books Inc. Originally posted at Novel Obsession.

[Mar · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book didn't work for us. Neither my 6 year old son, nor myself really enjoyed it. The illustrations were very pretty to look at, and there were many of them, but that's where the positives ended.
The story lacked a proper introduction, and you felt yourself thrust right into a conflict, you didn't know existed. After that every animal's opinion takes up a lot of visual space, but very little text. It's just a short phrase on a double page spread... just an opinion, no reason for it. The font an layout was off as well. It took us until about halfway through the book to realize that the tiny printer under the quotes was even there, let alone part of the story. Oops. So we went back and tried again, but hadn't really missed much other than "claimed the bear" or "said the sheep".
Finally the story ended as abruptly as it began. If there was a lesson to be learned, it entirely went over my son's head. He needed... more.

[Theediscerning · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm... This reminded me of some old adage about the elephant – take half a dozen blindfolded people, each only able to feel a bit of it (a snakelike bit at the front, a solid pair of tusks, tree-like legs, wispy hairy tail etc) and they would never know what it really is. Here a disparate group of animals each sees the mountain in front of them in their own way, but they've never climbed it before to actually explore. The moral of getting the bigger picture, and therefore understanding other people's viewpoints, is kind of missed by a very sudden ending that seems to bluntly deny the moral ever existed. Visually it's fine (the absurd idea of the octopus climbing the mountain covered quite well) but I didn't think the large double-page splashes for every animal's knowledge of the mountain were actually that necessary. Not bad, but no classic.

[Melissa Levens · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mountain
Author, Rebecca Gugger
Illustrator, Simon Rothlisberger

Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Pub date: September 7, 2021

The bear, sheep, octopus, ant, chamois, and snow hare all think they know what the mountain is are are each set on proving themselves right. But the wise bird challenges them all and asks, "how many of you have ever actually been up on the mountain?" It is a perfect story that teaches children perspective, experience, kindness, and acceptance. Beautifully illustrated, this lovely children's book will allow you to have meaningful conversations that will teach your children to respect other people's opinions and have tolerance for another's point of view in a fun and light- hearted way.

Thank you NetGalley, NorthSouth Books, Rebecca Gugger, and Simon Rothlisberger for the opportunity to read and review this special e- ARC.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from NorthSouth Books through Picture Book Palooza.
Each of the animals has their own opinion of what the mountain is like. They share this with the others and get into a huge argument on who is right. The bird had enough and challenged them to see what the mountain is really like (as none had been there). Together, they climb the mountain and discover they are all right for some places. Beautiful illustrations capture the mountain and the animal expressions. Don't miss the humorous elements in each page spread (the sheep's coat rolling into a ball of yarn, etc.). Younger readers will appreciate the humor and the lesson to actually go somewhere instead of arguing for what you think is there.

[Lindsey Lawntea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mountain is a sweet story about a group of animals arguing about what the mountain is and whether it is snowy, made of rock, grassy, etc. The illustrations are beautiful, colorful, and fun - a bear in a dense forest, the ant with his little "dumbbells" made of leaves and the colony doing various things like bathing and reading underground, etc. My favorite was the page of spliced images of each of the animals hiking across their terrain. This can help children learn about perspective as well as natural habitats of wildlife.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

[Meneniareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free ARC from NetGalley.

The Mountain is a book where different animals tell their view on the same thing: what the mountain looks like. But, everyone is telling it completely differently! How come the view on one thing seem so different to the different types of animal? They all have a different perspective on it!

This is a good book to teach children about having different perspective. It was really pretty illustrated! Only thing I feel is missing is a good "catchfrase" or something at the end. But it's good as it is.

#TheMountain #NetGalley

[Katherina Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story to use to introduce your child to the concept of perception and how we all perceive things differently. The illustrations really highlight the differences in perception. This book gave my 5 year old something to think about as we discussed the meaning of the book. Great for younger children who may not understand the meaning behind the story but will love the illustrations. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does anyone else remember the tale of the blind men and the elephant? This fun book resembles that story even as it resembles the single sighted reactions of many people today (of any age). It's a good book about ALL of us and is easily readable to others and by ESL.
Wonderfully illustrated by Simon Rothlisberger
Translated by Marshall Yarbrough.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from NorthSouth Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Zahra tavakoli · Rating 4 out of 5]

حیوانات مختلفی که تا به حال کوه را از نزدیک ندیده‌اند با هم بحث می‌کنند که کوه چطور جایی است؟ هر کدام نظری دارند و دیگری را تخطئه می‌کنند. بالاخره همه با هم به کوه می‌روند و متوجه می‌شوند نظر دیگری هم اشتباه نبوده اما نظر هر کدام قسمتی از واقعیت بوده.
داستانش شبیه فیل در تاریکی مثنوی بود. به نظرم حتی به درد کلاس‌های فبک می‌خورد و خیلی جای گفتگو دارد. کتابی تصویری مناسب بالای پنج سال.
عنوان فارسی: کوه

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I loved this book! The illustrations were so great and the message was good. Each page had just enough story to keep my daughters attention.

It taught a great lesson that you can’t comment on something until you’ve tried it and there isn’t always just one right answer- there can be multiple right answers! My daughter always wants to read this multiple times a week.

[Shauna Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book on perspective, this book would be fantastic in classrooms, day cares, and homes.

The illustrations were funny and engaging. I loved each animals perspective on what a mountain is and how they all come together to find out who is right. This book opens a great dialogue about perspective and how each person can have a different perspective of the same thing.