Picture Book Month: When I Was Young in the Mountains

Summary:
Cynthia Rylant reminisces about her childhood in Appalachia in this poetic and touching book.

What it looks like in the Middle:
Sometimes picture books are used as models for writing and writing starters. This is a powerful one with its simple prompt "When I was young. . ." I have had great success with this prompt from students in the Middle as well as younger students, older students and even teachers in our summer writing institutes.

I team this book up with the Hawaiian poet Hina Kahanu's "When I was young in the Islands" from Bamboo Ridge's Growing Up Local