When I Was Young in the Mountains

Author: Cynthia Rylant  Illustrator: Diane Goode

     In order to delve into the world of Cynthia Rylant's books, I decided to read her first published book, When I Was Young in the Mountains (1982).  The picturebook was inspired by Rylant's own childhood Appalachian childhood in West Virginia.  The story presents an authentic look into rural, mountain life through its emphasis on family, food, work, and outdoor adventures.  Familial love and the idea of home are prevalent themes throughout the book.
     Rylant uses lyrical language to emphasize the soothing comforts of home within the text.  This is evident through the repetition of the phrase, "when I was young in the mountains," as it is present on many pages, making this book especially fitting for younger readers (K-2), because I think they would get excited about repeating this phrase along with the story.  Additionally, Rylant inserts various examples of sensory language to provide detailed descriptions that draw readers into the story.  For example, in the scene with the shop, Rylant writes, "Mr. Crawford and Mrs. Crawford looked alike and always smelled of sweet milk."  The language evokes the senses, such as smell, to transport readers to mountain life.  By drawing upon her own experiences in Appalachia, Rylant pours her love of her childhood experience into the words to pass along to readers.
     When paired with the serene style of Diane Goode's illustrations, the rural comforts of home are completed.  Utilizing a color palette of natural-looking shades of blue, green, brown, gray, and white, Goode transports readers into this mountain world.  The illustrations are all framed by white pages to allow the watercolor paintings to shine in contrast to the backgrounds.  One aspect of the illustrations that I was pleased to notice is the fact that almost everyone is painted with a serene-looking smile on their face.  This simple joy presents rural life in a positive light and emphasizes how much love can be present within the home and family. 
     The final two-page spread in the book has the girl reading a book, presumably one about other places in the world, on the steps of her house and stating, "I never wanted to go anywhere else in the world, for I was in the mountains.  And that was always enough."  This ending inserts one final note of sentimentalism towards home and familial roots that is prevalent throughout the work as a whole.   I believe this book targets younger readers through its repetition and language, but is enjoyable to readers of all ages.  Although those from rural, mountain environments could connect to this book's setting on a personal level, I think the greater theme of home is appropriate to all readers to encourage reflection on different home lives.