Manjhi Moves a Mountain

PreS-Gr 3--The author of The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game brings the story of Dashrath Manjhi to life. Manjhi (1934-2007) lived in a village near Bihar, India, that was virtually cut off from the rest of the world due to its location behind a large mountain. It was a 34 mile walk to the nearest village with running water and medical facilities. As a member of the low Shudra caste, Manjhi was not seen as deserving of equal access to these services, but, driven by a desire to make life better for his fellow neighbors, he searched out a secondhand chisel and hammer and began to take down the mountain--by hand! His quest would take him 22 years and earn him ridicule from those who felt it was a fool's errand. In the end, Manjhi created a road 360 feet long that cut the journey down to nine miles. Popovici's pen and watercolor illustrations capture this poignant quest beautifully. Popovici deftly employs colors as emotions to capture Manjhi's transformation into a legend. This story will serve as a beacon for children (and adults) looking to make a real difference in their own communities, even in the face of others' disbelief and doubt. Back matter also includes a way for readers to share their own experiences with the author and other readers. VERDICT A finely illustrated true story to encourage social emotional learning that belongs in most collections.--Colleen S. Banick, Westport Public Schools, CT