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High as a Hawk: A Brave Girl's Historic Climb

  • Is it age appropriate?

    About our ratings

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    Not age appropriate for kids under 0, age appropriate for kids over 4; suggested age 4.

  • Is it any good?

    4.0
  • Common Sense says

    Inspiring account of young climber.

Why We Rated This on for Ages 4 and Up

The good stuff

  • Messages:

    Harriet honors her deceased mother.

What to watch out for

  • Violence & scariness:

    Not an issue.
  • Sexy stuff:

    Not an issue.
  • Language:

    Not an issue.
  • Consumerism:

    Not an issue.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking:

    Not an issue.

What Parents Need to Know

This review of High as a Hawk: A Brave Girl's Historic Climb was written by Whitney Stewart

Parents need to know that 8-year-old Harriet Peters feels the absence of her mother, who has recently died. But she puts her trust in her father and in a mountain guide she has befriended.

Families Can Talk About

Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
  • Families can talk about how Harriet chooses to climb a mountain to remember her mother, who loved nature.
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More on High as a Hawk: A Brave Girl's Historic Climb

Book Summary

In the darkness of early morning, Harriet Peters starts climbing Colorado's Longs Peak with her father and famous mountain guide, Enos Mills. When her father collapses in exhaustion, Harriet begs to go on to accomplish the dream of her deceased mother --- to reach the top, and to see a hawk.

Painful blisters, a thundering herd of elk, howling wind, and a snowstorm threaten Harriet's mission. But Harriet and her guide are a powerful team. They find reward in a pair of shining wings.

Is It Any Good?

Inspired by the true story of Harriet Peters' 1905 climb up Longs Peak with Enos Mills, founder of the Rocky Mountain National Park, T.A. Barron deftly recounts the climbing tale as he has imagined it. Although in his endnotes Barron admits to taking poetic license, he says Enos Mills' daughter and granddaughter supported his research, and that his story's historical basis is accurate.

Barron's first-person narrative feels authentic. Young Harriet shares her wonder, fear, exhaustion, and exhilaration with the reader. In a read-aloud session, listeners gasp when a herd of elk startle Harriet; they moan when Harriet escapes from snow, thunder, and lightening under a lip of rock. And best of all, they can't take their eyes off Ted Lewin's stunning illustrations. Taking his cues from a 1905 photo of Mills and Peters (Barron gives no clues as to who took the photo, included in the endnotes), Lewin's up-close images create light, movement, and emotion that give the book great impact.

Publisher’s Details

Publisher: Penguin Group, Publication date: 11/19/2004
Number of pages: 32, Price: $16.99 (hardcover)
Read Aloud: 4+, Read Alone: 7+

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