My Mountain Song

June 14, 2004
Family, feelings and life on the farm make pleasant music together as the themes in Crum's (Spitting Image
) debut picture book. When middle child Brenda Gail gets to spend the summer, all by herself, on her great-grandparents' mountain homestead, her days brim with the hum of the country—roosters crowing, dogs barking, a screen door that "swishes open and snaps closed," and Gran Pap's special mountain song. Gran Pap explains that everyone 'round those parts—even Brenda Gail—has their own song, full of good memories and "things you like about the mountains." But Brenda Gail's thoughts of composing her own tune come to a screeching halt when her pesky cousin Melvin arrives on the scene. Bickering and tussling ensue, resulting in the accidental injury of one of the family's prized hens. This wake-up call inspires healing, reflection and good fodder for a song. Crum hits some sweet notes while portraying believable childhood emotions and warm intergenerational relationships. Rand's (The Memory String
) bucolic watercolor scenery includes elegantly plumed fowl, a comfy wooden porch and, fittingly, some sweeping vistas of purple mountain majesties. Ages 5-8.

June 1, 2004
K-Gr 3-"In the mountains down south, morning is musical." Young Brenda Gail revels in sounds, from the rooster's cry to the screen door's swish, but nothing pleases her more than discovering her Gran Pap humming his special mountain song. He informs her that everyone born in the mountains has a song in them, and Brenda Gail can create her own tune with her favorite memories. As she goes through the day, she gathers, much as she does eggs, ideas to add to her own melody. She includes her great-grandparents along with her favorite animals and activities, but draws the line at her annoying cousin Melvin-there is no way that he will be part of her composition. A near tragedy softens her resolve, and she learns that the best songs (and families) encompass a variety of emotions. Crum's lyrical words work well with Rand's fluid watercolors. With their soft impressionistic look, the full-bleed illustrations, executed in faded browns and grays with touches of pastel hues, have a timeless quality that elicits a feeling of nostalgia. Together, author and illustrator have created a delight for the senses that harmonizes the coziness of a close-knit family with the gentle ambience of old-fashioned farm life.-Laurie Edwards, West Shore School District, Camp Hill, PA

Copyright 2004 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2004
K-Gr. 3. While Brenda Gail is visiting her grandparents' Kentucky farm, she hears Gran Pap's mountain song: "It's made up of bits and pieces, like one of your great-grandmother's quilts. It's got good memories in it," he says. "What about " my" song?" Brenda Gail asks, and she considers what she'll sing about. She's sure she won't include her pesky cousin Melvin, especially after Brenda Gail and Melvin get into a fight that injures Big Ma's favorite hen. Banished to sit in the corner, Brenda Gail softens when Melvin brings her lunch and apologizes. Written in folksy language, the tender story is beautifully illustrated with soft watercolor paintings that show the family gathering eggs, doing chores, and sharing meals as Brenda Gail discovers what she loves most about being on the mountain farm.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)