FINALIST—2024 KINDLE BOOK AWARDS for Young Adults
FIRST PLACE—2023 GERTRUDE WARNER BOOK AWARD for Middle Grade Fiction
FINALIST—2024 MIDWEST BOOK AWARD for Young Adult Fiction
Little Mountain, Big Trouble
Formats: E-Book, Paperback
Ages: 8-11, 12-15
LITTLE MOUNTAIN, BIG TROUBLE is an inspirational story about a young boy with a big dream and the courage to chase that dream no matter the obstacles.
Twelve-year-old EJ is a short, unpopular, shy, self-described loser. He lives with his mother and younger brother on the wrong side of town and spends every other weekend with his hard-to-please, deadbeat father. Because surviving school and his home life are challenging enough, EJ’s the last kid you’d expect to dream of someday climbing Mount Everest …
… until he’s matched with a volunteer Big Brother. Russ is the opposite of EJ in almost every way. Despite their differences, they bond over helping EJ achieve his mountain-climbing dream. Their first goal is to hike to Minnesota’s highest point, Eagle Mountain.
But when a ferocious thunderstorm strikes in the middle of their trek, EJ and Russ are plunged into a life-or-death crisis. Fighting his loser self-image with every step toward safety, EJ learns that standing tall has nothing to do with height and everything to do with determination, heart, and courage.
Reviews
Good writing style that quickly pulls the reader in and keeps them eager for more. Great empathy building for middle-grade readers. Clear voice, strong dialogue, and great word choice. The themes are mature and difficult but tackled in a sensitive way that's admirable. You'll finish it before you know it and want to start again. --Judge's comments, 2023 Gertude Warner Award for Middle-Grade Fiction (1st Place)













