When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant

When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Diane Goode, is a warm and nostalgic picture book based on Rylant’s childhood growing up with her grandparents in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia.

Through a series of gentle childhood memories, Rylant celebrates the simple pleasures of mountain life: swimming in the swimming hole, taking baths in a tin tub, eating fresh cornbread, visiting the local general store, attending church in the schoolhouse and enjoying time with family. Even everyday experiences -- including watching her grandfather return home from the coal mine -- become treasured memories of a close-knit family and a much-loved place.

Rylant’s lyrical, understated writing is beautifully complemented by Diane Goode’s tender, atmospheric illustrations. A Caldecott Honor Book, this is a heartfelt story about childhood, family, community and finding happiness in the ordinary moments of everyday life.