Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 07/01/2024 Using simple yet lyrical text, Yasuda chronicles the life of Junko Tabei, a Japanese mountain climber and the first woman to scale Mt. Everest. Junko loved hiking as a child and as an adult joined a mountaineering club in Tokyo. She led a mostly female expedition to Mt. Everest and remained a passionate climber throughout her life, tackling peaks in numerous countries and working to preserve mountain landscapes. In addition to her climbing accomplishments, Yasuda recounts many lesser-known details; for example, Tabei crafted some of her own equipment because standard sizes for men were too large. Shimizu's colorful artwork (digitally enhanced India ink and Japanese calligraphy brushwork) employs a broad color palette, accurately depicting vistas in Japan and Nepal. The illustrations often portray dramatic scenes from the narrative—particularly the avalanche that buried Junko's tent just below Everest's peak, her subsequent arduous climb up a final narrow ridge, and her triumphant pose at the summit. Smoothly written and appended with additional resources, this will appeal to adventure enthusiasts and women's history buffs. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.