Up, Up, Ever Up!: Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains
by Anita Yasuda; illus. by Yuko Shimizu
Primary    Clarion/HarperCollins    48 pp.
9/24    9780063242418    $19.99

In this inspiring picture-book biography, readers meet renowned Japanese mountain climber, educator, and environmentalist Junko Tabei (1939–2016), the first woman to successfully summit Mount Everest. Tabei’s love for hiking started as a child when she climbed Mount Chausu. As an adult, Tabei moved to Tokyo to attend university, married a fellow hiker, started a family, and founded a women’s-only mountaineering club. Pushing back against sexist expectations and limitations, Tabei’s club fundraised for years and made their own equipment for their 1975 Mount Everest trek. Yasuda’s evocative prose makes readers feel as if they are outdoors with Tabei, from the serene early hikes to the dangerous, avalanche-fraught Himalayan climb. Shimizu’s brilliant India ink and digitally colored art further immerses readers in the natural world, pairing breathtaking mountain views with folktale-like images that emphasize community, such as Tabei and other women soaring through the sky or Tabei radiating love while planting an apple tree to support Nepali villagers. This volume is a master class in perseverance, respecting the environment, and supporting others. Back matter includes an informative author’s note, a timeline, a glossary, and a bibliography.

From the ">November/December 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.