Echo Mountain – Lauren Wolk (Puffin, $17.99)Reviewed by Louise Ward, Wardini Books
It's the Great Depression in 1930s America and Ellie and her family are forced to leave their home town and carve a new life for themselves upon Echo Mountain, a harsh environment that suits Ellie's temperament and clasheswith that of her mother, a musician and teacher, and her sister, Esther.
The family forge a life on the mountain and Ellie is fascinated to learn hunting and survival skills from her father, although she feels the mountain and its inhabitants with such empathy that she struggles with the necessity of killing in order to survive.
When her father is struck by a tree he was felling and enters a long term coma, Ellie's mother and sister shut down, suspecting her of fault, and her little brother Samuel becomes her only ally.
As Ellie negotiates her life on the mountain and her family's collapse, she encounters Cate, the 'hag' who lives further up the mountain, and discovers the identity of the person who has left her gifts of carved wooden figurines. She comes to recognise injustice and prejudice and takes matters into her own hands when inaction threatens her father.
There is much discussion of how we learn – through watching and through doing – and an exploration of the emotional sacrifices Ellie makes for the greater good of her family.
The writing is lyrical, sophisticated, told with such poetic simplicity that the plot and the philosophy of the story is accessible to younger readers.
Ellie is educated by her environment and although makes wild, impulsive decisions, is also a deep thinker, playing the long game. Her strength, ability to think for herself and her incredible bravery are what makes her a fascinating, inspiring character.
Echo Mountain is an example of the best there is in children's literature. Intended for a readership of around 9 years and up, it would make a wonderful family read aloud.
