Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains
By (Author) Anita Yasuda
Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
HarperCollins
14th February 2025
United States
Children
Non Fiction
Childrens / Teenage general interest: Adventurers and outlaws
Childrens / Teenage general interest: Communities, places and peoples
Childrens / Teenage general interest: Sports and outdoor recreation
Childrens / Teenage personal and social topics: Fitness, exercise and healthy ea
Childrens / Teenage: Social issues / topics
796.522092
Commended for Caldecott Medal 2025
48
Width 229mm, Height 273mm
454g
Anita Yasudas evocative picture book biography about Junko Tabei, the first woman to summit Everest, is equal parts grit and grace. Dazzlingly illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Yuko Shimizu.
An inspiring biography of a trailblazing woman, lyrically told and lushly illustrated. This important story reminds us that pursuing our dreams can not only empower us, but others as well.Andrea Wang, bestselling author of the Newbery Honor and Caldecott Medalwinning Watercress
A heartwarming and inspiring story of how climbing can ultimately connect us back down with the earth and those around us. Ashima Shiraishi, bestselling author of How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion
If the world doesn't know who Junko Tabei was, then this is the introduction. Ken Mochizuki, bestselling author of Baseball Saved Us
Junko Tabei dreamed of a life climbing mountains. But men refused to climb with her. Sponsors told her to stay home. And gloves were not made to fit her hands. Junko, eager and unstoppable, wouldnt let these obstacles get in her way.
Instead, she planned an expedition to summit Mount Everest with an all-women team.Battling icy peaks, deep crevasses, and even an avalanche, Junko refused to give up. She climbed step by step . . . up, up, ever up!
After summiting the worlds tallest peak, Junko took on a new challenge: protecting the wild spaces she loved for future generations.
This gorgeously illustrated celebration of a trailblazing climber who shattered gender stereotypes invites us to dare to reach our dreamsno matter how big.
"Yasuda's captivating, poetic prose weaves powerful metaphors and Shimizu's dreamy illustrations immerse readers." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"With evocative, simile-rich prose and dazzling, visually complex spreads, it's a memorable story about living life on the edge of possibility." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A masterclass in perseverance, respecting the environment, and supporting others." -- Horn Book (starred review)
"Tabei's life and -accomplishments are -succinctly delivered with engaging text and brilliant illustrations to celebrate this trailblazing woman." -- School Library Journal (starred review)
"Yuko Shimizu's gorgeous, often fantastical illustrations combine with Yasuda's compelling, uplifting words to vividly convey Tabei's indomitable spirit." -- BookPage
"Appended with additional resources, this will appeal to adventure enthusiasts and women's history buffs." -- Booklist
Michael Cunningham was raised in Los Angeles and now lives in New York. His first novel A Home at the End of the World was published in 1990, and his second, Flesh and Blood in 1995. The Hours was awarded both the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 1999 PEN/Faulkner Award and made into an internationally acclaimed, Oscar-winning film. Specimen Days is his most recent novel. He has written one non-fiction book, Lands End: A Walk Through Provincetown. He lives in New York.