Review: Trash Mountain
Monday, July 13, 2015 10:00 AM

Trash Mountain by Jane Yolen. Mineneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books. 9781467712347.

Summary

Young Nutley, the Red squirrel, lives with his Mummy and Father in a cozy hole high up in a fir tree. Influenced by their twitchy fears and raised under their strict rules, Nutley longs to explore beyond his home and make new friends — even reaching out to the dreadful Gray squirrels about which his parents have repeatedly warned him. When Nutley’s parents are killed by the Grays in a vicious attack, he must learn how to survive on his own and to process the world around him.

Impressions

The story is surprisingly intense, detailing passionate fights between species and the violent loss of Nutley’s beloved parents. The illustrations by Chris Monroe interject gentleness and innocence that give the reader some reprieve between the occasional difficult scenes.

Yolen begins each chapter with a “This you should know…” introduction, imparting factual information about squirrels and other creatures throughout the book. The obvious slant is that some species are good and more desirable than others. Throughout the story, however, Nutley learns that some of the biases that his parents taught him were not accurate. This is an interesting lesson for children to learn — especially so when real world experiences widen the scope of their interactions beyond the home. When Nutley realizes that not every creature different from a Red squirrel has an unpleasant ‘norm’ (as his parents have insisted) but instead that each animal he meets varies in temperament and character, he awakens to a new level of maturity.

Further Information

Jane Yolen has written more than three hundred books for readers of all ages. With Trash Mountain, this seasoned author introduces interesting and weighty issues about nature and prejudice. It’s an intriguing read and a good book for discussion as there are many themes to explore.

Readers who enjoyed Trash Mountain and reading about squirrels will enjoy Nuts to You by Lynne Rae Perkins.


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