A World MOUNTAINS of SAMPLE
NIZRANA FAROOK BETHANY LORD
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About the author
Nizrana Farook was born and raised in Sri Lanka. She moved to the UK as an adult and now writes children’s books. Nizrana decided to write this book after writing a similar book about rivers and finding out many interesting things about mountains at the same time.
In this book … Our shared planet Discovery and adventure
A World MOUNTAINS of SAMPLE
Written by Nizrana Farook
Illustrated by Bethany Lord
Words to look out for …
articulate (adjective)
An articulate person is able to speak clearly and fluently.
convert (verb) converts, converting, converted To convert something is to change it into something else.
empower (verb) empowers, empowering, empowered to give someone the power or confidence to do something function (noun) what someone or something does or ought to do
intricate (adjective)
An intricate pattern or design is detailed and complicated.
overview (noun)
If you give someone an overview of something, you tell them about the general idea without explaining the details.
quote (verb)
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quotes, quoting, quoted
To quote someone or something is to repeat words that were first written or spoken by someone else. versus (preposition) rather than; in contrast to
Introducing mountains
Imagine you are standing at the bottom of a big mountain� What do you see when you look up at it? Do you think people live right at the top? Which animals might live up there?
In this book, you will learn all about mountains!
What are mountains?
Mountains are large landforms with steep sides� They are steeper than a hill and are much higher than the land around them� Mountains are made of rocks and earth�
Let’s find out more about mountains from all around the world and what makes them amazing!
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A mountain range is a group or chain of mountains that are close together� Mountains and mountain ranges are found in different continents all around the world�
North America
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South America
The tallest mountain that we know of anywhere is not on planet Earth. It is actually on another planet – Mars! It is called Olympus Mons and it is nearly three times bigger than Mount Everest.
Europe
Oceania
Antarctica
Africa
The Alps (page 10)
The Himalayas (page 12)
The Rocky Mountains (page 17)
The Andes (page 26)
The Grampians (page 22)
Asia
How are mountains formed?
The outer surface of the Earth is called the crust�
The crust is made up of large rocky pieces called tectonic plates�
Look at the world map below�
crust
Can you find the tectonic plate where you live?
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The lines on this map show the tectonic plates�
Tectonic plates are moving all the time� They move so slowly that we don’t even notice� However, over millions of years, tectonic plates have changed the Earth’s surface�
Tectonic plates move between 1 centimetre (cm) and 10 cm a year, depending where they are.
When tectonic plates move towards each other, it is like a very slow crash�
What do you think might happen when these large rocky pieces of the crust crash into each other?
tectonic plates
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When they crash into each other, the tectonic plates are forced together and the ground is pushed upwards� This is how mountains are made�
The Himalaya mountain range, also known as the Himalayas, in Asia began to form fifty million years ago. This was because there was a big crash between two tectonic plates. Thirty of the world’s highest mountains are in the Himalayas.
Features of mountains
This diagram shows the main features of a mountain�
peak: the top of the mountain, also called the summit
face: the side of the mountain
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elevation: the mountain’s height, usually measured from the level of the sea
valley: a low area between mountains base: the bottom of the mountain, also called the foot
Spotlight: The Alps
The Alps are the highest and longest mountain range in Europe�
the Alps mountain range
People have lived in the Alps for thousands of years� Today, it is one of the most populated mountain ranges in the world� Millions of visitors come to the Alps every year� People travel here for winter sports and for holidays�
Many animals live in the Alps, too, including ibex, golden eagles, and wolves�
ALPS FACT FILE
Where Europe
Highest peak Mont Blanc, 4800 metres
golden eagle
Mountain weather
Weather can change as you go higher up a mountain� It can be much colder at the top than at the bottom� The peak may be covered in snow all year�
Mountains can affect the weather in an area� It is rainier near mountains than on flat land� This is because clouds rise up when they reach a mountain� Water in the clouds gets colder and then comes down as rain�
Spotlight: The Himalayas
The Himalaya mountain range is so high that it is known as the roof of the world� The name ‘Himalaya’ comes from a language called Sanskrit� It means ‘abode of snow’ (‘abode’ means ‘home’)�
The Himalaya mountain range includes the world’s highest peak: Mount Everest� Mount Everest is so tall that its peak is only slightly below the height that planes fly at!
HIMALAYAS FACT FILE
Where Asia
Mount Everest, 8850 metres
Living on mountains
Mountain climates can be extreme� The higher up a mountain you go, the thinner the air gets� There is less oxygen to breathe in and people can feel tired and sick� People who live high up get used to the thinner air� For example, the Sherpa people of Nepal have become used to the thin air in the Himalayas� It doesn’t make them feel sick or tired�
For people who do not live on mountains, exercising up high makes their bodies work harder� For example, training on mountains helps runners to run faster and for longer�
Winters on mountains can be long and cold� This means it is difficult to grow crops and raise livestock� This is a challenge as many people living on mountains depend on farming for their living�
In the Himalayas, sloping ground at the base of the mountain range has been converted into large steps known as terraces� These terraces are useful for growing crops, such as rice, wheat, and corn�
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Wae Rebo
Wae Rebo (say: wa-r-bow) is a mountain village on the island of Flores, Indonesia� It is 1100 metres above sea level�
There are no roads leading to the village� People must walk up the mountain to get there�
A small community of people live in the village in seven cone-shaped houses�
Each house has five floors� Three of these floors are used to store things� One floor stores food and goods, one stores seeds, and one stores extra food for emergencies� As the village is so remote, the villagers must be prepared�
Indonesia
Wae Rebo
Mountains under the sea
Did you know that there are mountains under the sea?
Mountains in the sea are called seamounts�
Seamounts can be fully under water, or the top can be above the sea�
Mauna Kea is a seamount in Hawaii� It is partly under the sea�
Mauna Kea versus Mount Everest –which mountain do you think is taller?
Mount Everest (see page 12) has the highest peak above the sea�
However, the tallest mountain from the base to the peak is Mauna Kea! It is around 500 metres taller than Mount Everest�
Versus can mean rather than, or in contrast to�
Mauna Kea
Spotlight: The Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains, also known as the Rockies, divides North America in two�
One of the most famous animals living on the Rockies is the bighorn sheep� Their hooves help them grip the rocks and move around the mountains� They even have claws that act like brakes!
ROCKIES FACT FILE
Where North America
Highest peak Mount Elbert, 4400 metres
a bighorn sheep
Mountain challenges
Many people see climbing mountains as the ultimate challenge� To climb Mount Everest, people must buy a permit� There are rules for buying a permit, such as:
● climbers must have climbed a mountain of at least 6500 metres in the same area as Mount Everest
● climbers must be fit and healthy
● climbers must complete special training�
Jordan Romero
To quote someone or something is to repeat words that were first written or spoken by someone else�
LIFE STORY: ERIK WEIHENMAYER
Erik Weihenmayer was the first person with complete sight loss to climb Mount Everest�
He started rock climbing when he was sixteen� He was good at it�
Erik climbed Mount Everest by following the sound of bells tied to the clothes of other explorers and guides�
He then went on to climb the Seven Summits�
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Erik is an articulate speaker� He gives talks to inspire people to follow their dreams�
Erik Weihenmayer
A climber’s diary: Megumi climbs Mount Fuji
If you climbed a mountain, you could write about it in a diary� It might look something like this ���
Saturday 2nd July
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My name is Megumi, and I am 12-years-old.
I live near Tokyo in Japan.
I have been hiking with my parents from a young age. Tomorrow, we are going to climb Mount Fuji!
Mount Fuji is a symbol of Japan. We call it Fujisan. This means Mr Fuji.
Last week, we bought special boots and clothes. We have packed food, water, and sunscreen for the climb.
Mount Fuji, Japan
Japan
Tuesday 5th July
We did it! We climbed Mount Fuji! We took a bus up to a mountain station. We started walking from there. My parents said we could rest whenever I felt tired.
At the top, I felt I had done something very special.
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It was a sunny day. There were lots of people walking at the same time. At each station I got a stamp on my walking pole!
The view was beautiful. There was a post office at the top! I sent a letter to my friend Keiko to show I had been there.
Spotlight: The Grampians
The Grampians mountain range is in Australia� It is well known for its intricate rock formations� It is also important because of its culture and history�
The area around the Grampians is covered in a carpet of wildflowers� You can even spot animals such as kangaroos, wallabies and kookaburras!
GRAMPIANS FACT FILE
Where Australia
Highest peak
Mount William (also called Duwul), 1170 metres
An intricate pattern or design is detailed and complicated�
a kookaburra
Visiting mountains
Mountain areas often have beautiful views and clean, fresh air� People have always wanted to visit these areas�
When an area has lots of visitors, local shops and businesses get more customers� This can create more jobs for local people, which is good for communities�
However, lots of visitors can make an area very busy� This can cause problems� For example, there may be more litter left behind, and there might be more traffic� This can spoil the local environment and affect the animals that live there, too�
It is important that visitors respect local communities�
Mountains and nature
Mountain plants
As you climb up a mountain, trees start to thin out� When there are no more trees, you have reached a point called the tree line�
tree line
The cushion plant is an interesting mountain plant� It spreads wide and grows low on the ground, looking like a green cushion!
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Many plants can’t survive above the tree line� However, plants such as moss and grasses can grow higher up�
This is the highest known flowering plant� These small white flowers grow on Mount Everest – as high as 6000 metres!
cushion plant
Mountain animals
Some animals have special features that help them live on mountains�
● Winters can be long and cold, so alpine marmots sleep for nine months of the year�
● Mountain goats can eat any plant on the slopes�
● Yaks have large hearts and lungs so that they can survive in the thinner air (see page 13)�
● Snow leopards have special cavities in their noses� The cavities warm the cold air they breathe in�
● Alpine ibex are skilled climbers – they can even go up vertical surfaces�
alpine ibex
apline marmot
mountain goat
yak
Spotlight: The Andes
The Andes mountain range is in South America� It is the longest mountain range in the world� It is more than 8000 metres long�
It has regular earthquakes and eruptions from volcanoes�
There are snow-capped peaks and thick rainforests in the Andes� The Amazon River, the biggest river in the world, starts in the Andes, too�
South America
The highest capital city in the world is also in the Andes� It is La Paz in Bolivia�
ANDES FACT FILE
Where South America
Highest peak Mount Aconcagua, 6960 metres
Mountain buildings
There are different types of mountain buildings around the world�
For thousands of years, people have built their homes on mountains� These stone houses in Spain were built 250 years ago� They are round and don’t have many windows� The function of this design is to stop the wind blowing inside� Thick walls help to keep out the cold�
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This hotel in Sri Lanka has been built into a mountain!
This museum is on Mount Kronplatz in Italy� Some of the museum is underground� Some of it sticks out of the rock, so visitors get amazing views�
The function of someone or something is what they do or ought to do�
Fun on the mountains!
Some people like daring mountain activities, such as paragliding or rock climbing� Completing these challenging activities empowers them�
Others enjoy a walk or watching nature�
What activities do you think you would enjoy on a mountain?
Yussof’s email: Mountain biking in Australia
If you like mountain biking, you could send an email about it to a new friend� It might look like this ���
Hi!
I live in the Gold Coast, Australia. My hobby is mountain biking. I love it!
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I started mountain biking when I was six. Mum and I would ride on flat paths. Now I’m eight, I can handle all sorts of bumps! On Saturdays, Mum and I like to go biking in the trails near my home. I always wear knee pads and a helmet – just in case I fall off!
Working with mountains
If you are interested in mountains, here is a quick overview of some jobs you could do.
If you like being active and outside, you could become a walking guide. You could even become a mountaineer!
You could work as a geologist. Geologists are scientists that study the Earth.
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A botanist is a type of scientist who studies plants.
A volcanologist is a type of scientist who studies volcanic mountains.
If you give someone an overview of something, you tell them about the general idea without explaining the details.
Glossary
cavities: short, wide tubes in the nose
climates: weather conditions over a long period of time
community: a group of people living in the same place
continents: large areas of land that are separated from others by water or other natural features
First Nations: First Nations peoples are the first peoples of Australia landforms: natural features of Earth’s surface, like mountains or valleys
livestock: farm animals
moss: a plant that grows in damp places and has no flowers
mountaineer: someone who climbs mountains
permit: a written statement allowing someone to do something populated: lived in by people or animals
remote: far away
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Seven Summits: the highest mountains of each of the seven continents
symbol: something that represents something else vertical: something that goes directly upwards
Index
animals .......................................................................... 10, 14, 17, 22–23, 25
buildings ........................................................................ 15, 26–27
climate ........................................................................... 13, 14
climbers ......................................................................... 18–19, 20–21
Everest, Mount ............................................................. 12, 16, 18–19 farming ........................................................................... 14
Fuji, Mount .....................................................................20–21
parts of mountains .................................................... 9
plants .............................................................................. 24, 30
seamounts .................................................................... 16
tectonic plates ............................................................. 7, 8
weather .......................................................................... 11
What to read next if you want …
Our shared planet Discovery and adventure
Grow, Don’t Mow: Gardening for the Planet by Robin Boyden
Oxford Reading Level 13
Granphibian and the Portside Bay Mystery by Svani Parekh
Oxford Reading Level 13
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Text © Oxford University Press 2024
Illustrations © Bethany Lord 2024
The moral rights of the author have been asserted
First published 2024
more non-fiction with pictures
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ISBN: 978-1-382-04166-9
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Acknowledgements
Written by Nizrana Farook
Illustrated by Bethany Lord
Author photo courtesy of Nizrana Farook
Splendid Silk by Yvonne Molfetas
Oxford Reading Level 13
The publisher and authors would like to thank the following for permission to use photographs and other copyright material:
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Mountains are everywhere –they can even be under the sea! Find out how mountains are formed, meet bighorn sheep and golden eagles, and discover how people live, work, and play on mountains.
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