Manley, Curtis. Climbing the Volcano: A Journey in Haiku. Jennifer K. Mann, Illus. Neal Porter, 01/2024. [48]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-82345-166-1. GRADES Kindergarten–3. OUTSTANDING.
A school-age child asks “How do you climb a mountain?” as a dark-haired, tan-skinned family sets out from a campsite to reach the summit and return. Haiku verse keeps the child’s observations brief, anchored in sensory observation, and full of small surprises. The illustrations perfectly follow the rhythm of the journey, shifting from comic-style, sequential panels to dramatic, full-page spreads. Textural, richly layered, painterly, and colorful they capture the grand Pacific Northwest setting, the child’s introspection, and the family’s closeness. Line drawing, digital paint, and collograph print-making are melded in photoshop to produce detailed, yet childlike, images of surprising beauty. Perfect for a readaloud, to inspire a poetry unit, or in anticipation of a family hike. The characters’ medium-toned skin, dark hair and eyes make them racially ambiguous. Extensive back matter covers Cascade mountain ecology and geology, what to bring on a hike, pictured plants and animals, and further print and online resources.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired