By Amy Shellhorn
TITLE PAGE
Look at the title page. Where is the author’s name? What is an author?
What do you think the person on this page is doing?
Do you know what they’re looking through? Have you ever used binoculars? What kinds of things do you think they might see?
PAGE 1–2
A lot of places in the world have seasons; Spring, Summer, Winter and Fall or Autumn. Do you have a favorite season? What do you like about it?
Why do you think there is snow if it is spring time?
What animal do you see in this picture?
Why can’t you see the tops of the trees in this picture?
Can you count the tree trunks in this picture?
PAGE 3–4
What insects do you see on this page? Have you ever seen a butterfly where you live?Look here for more information on the life cycle of a butterfly.
Can you count the wildflowers in this picture?
PAGE 5–6
What does the word graze mean? Find more information on the American bison here.
PAGE 7–8
Do you see the hiker in this picture? Why do you think they are resting? Have you ever been on a hike? Look at their backpack, what things do you think you would need to take on a long hike? How can you be responsible and protect our earth when you’re hiking? You can find more information on the mule deer here.
PAGE 9–10
What kinds of birds do you see in this picture? An alpine lake is a lake or reservoir of water that is at a very high altitude, usually more than 5,000 feet above sea level.
PAGE 11–12
Do you like a rainstorm? How does it make you feel?
Why aren’t there any trees up high in these mountains?
PAGE 13–14
Look at the moose and the beaver. If you see these animals in the wild make sure and observe them from a distance. Check out this information from the national park service on safe ways to observe wildlife.
PAGE 15–16
Why do you think this bird is called the Clark’s Nutcracker? What does the word perch mean? Can you think of another word that means the same thing as perch?
Why are the leaves falling from the trees and changing colors?
What do you think the temperature is like outside in this picture?
Look at the little girl in the picture, what kind of clothing is she wearing?
PAGE 17–18
Have you ever seen a pika before? What do you think the word forage means? Can you think of another word for forage? Why are the pika and the bear foraging for food?
What kind of food do you think these animals eat?
PAGE 19–20
Look at this climber. What kinds of equipment do you think you would need to climb on very high rocks? Is this something you would like to do or have done before?
There is a prong horn antelope in this picture. You can find more information on the antelope here.
PAGE 21–22
Have you ever gone camping before? Can you spot the mountain goat?
Take a look at the night sky tonight before you go to bed. Find the moon and notice it’s phase. Look at the stars. Find out more about constellations and stargazing here:
PAGE 23–24
Look at the elk in this picture, do you think it likes the snow?
What kinds of clothing do you need to wear when it’s snowy and cold outside?
Have you ever caught snowflakes on your tongue?
Things in our life are always changing. Seasons change, circumstances change, and sometimes that is good for growth and sometimes that is hard. What are some things in your life that are constant -that you can always count on or that are a comfort to you? What are some traditions that are important to you or your family? Observing nature is a great way to see the amazing life cycle on our planet and the renewal of things in our world year after year. Where do you see this happening around you?
ABOUT THE BOOK
The Mountain Stands is a children’s book about
the wild places that serve as a constant touch point
for kids during their changing lives.
As things happen in our world that we can’t control (especially now), the Mountain still stands. We (kids & adults) are facing lots of unknowns, but there is a comfort and a sense of perspective that the Mountain can offer.![]()
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the wild places that serve as a constant touch point
for kids during their changing lives.
As things happen in our world that we can’t control (especially now), the Mountain still stands. We (kids & adults) are facing lots of unknowns, but there is a comfort and a sense of perspective that the Mountain can offer.
AMY AND JEREMY SHELLHORN wrote this together on family trips back home from the mountains and it is based on the places and animals that they have seen with their kids while traveling to national parks.
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Our book was designed with kids and reading with kids in mind. It’s big enough to see our vibrant full-color illustrations in your lap or as you read to a group but small enough to accommodate small hands.
The book is written using repetitive words and phrases and allow children to participate in the reading experience immediately. Hopefully this will help your readers “read” and say those repetitive phrases with you. Guessing the ending words in the book with a consistent rhythm can help your young reader build solid foundational literacy skills.
ABOUT THE PICTURES
At each park Jeremy drew in his sketch book the animals they saw.
He also took photographs of the textures they touched. Rocks, Trees, Leaves, Grasses and then printed those textures on colored papers using a special printer called a Risograph.
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With piles of papers and some old outdoor magazines he used collage to make the illustrations in the book. So each illustration is up-cycled from old magazines and catalogs and features fun one of a kind textures from nature.
With piles of papers and some old outdoor magazines he used collage to make the illustrations in the book. So each illustration is up-cycled from old magazines and catalogs and features fun one of a kind textures from nature.
Here is a how-to on how to make your own pictures using this technique at home. Video Coming Soon!
ABOUT THE MAKERS
Amy and Jeremy Shellhorn are parents to two teens
who love the mountains, Cash and Ella,
and have been dragging them to play in our national parks
every summer while on their breaks from school.
AMY SHELLHORN is a former elementary classroom teacher who currently works as Parent Involvement Facilitator at Schwegler Elementary School. She loves hiking and is what they call a “lake chaser” trying to see as many alpine lakes as she can…sometimes sitting still on the shore, reading, journaling while Jeremy fishes. At school Amy loves to get books in the hands of kids and families, she helps parents connect to educational resources that give them the skills to foster a love of reading and literacy in their children’s lives.
JEREMY SHELLHORN is an award-winning designer and professor, who loves hiking and fishing tenkara in mountain streams. The resident designer at Tenkara USA, Jeremy splits his time between teaching at the University of Kansas and working on projects for the outdoor industry. As a way to engage his students in the outdoors while helping our parks, he started the Design Outside studio in 2013, where he and his talented students work in and with the parks on visual communication design projects they need help with. They even designed the National Park Typeface.
︎ ADD TO CART $20.00
The Book is 8 inches tall and 10 inches wide and is 32 pages long. Full color on high quality uncoated paper.
The Book is 8 inches tall and 10 inches wide and is 32 pages long. Full color on high quality uncoated paper.