At the Top of the World: The greatest mountains on Earth (and how to climb them)

When young, one seeks to indulge in adventure and what better than to climb challenging heights and to look down on the rest of the world. In this colorfully illustrated portrayal and description of mountaineering, the author introduces the language, equipment, historical climbers, and notable mountains challenged by adventurers throughout the ages and across the continents.

The chronicle begins by describing the types of mountains, their origins and heights, and it then continues to display the equipment needed for these exploits, and lists the dangers involved. A special section is devoted to various knot- making techniques. Then turn the pages to travel to well-known Mt. Everest, the Matterhorn, Mount Fuji, Denali in Alaska, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, or less familiar Puncak Jaya in Indonesia, or frigid Vinson Massif in Antarctica.

In each of these sites, short stories of past successes and failures to ascend these peaks are noted along with the cultures surrounding these regions. Routes undertaken for the ascents and the problems encountered along the way are noted. The brilliantly colored details catch the reader’s wonder at these challenging exploits and will be sure to engage the wonder of the youthful reader.