Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia

Naturalist and prolific author Sy Montgomery and wildlife photographer Nic Bishop tag along on a trek through the Gobi Desert and into the Altai Mountains of Mongolia in this work of non-fiction for children, participating in an effort to document snow leopard populations in that part of the world. The expedition is led by Tom McCarthy of the Snow Leopard Trust, and includes a number of Mongolian staff and guides. Selecting a good home base, trekking up steep and rocky cliffs, collecting and labeling scat—all of these are covered, along with aspects of Mongolian history, culture and current animal husbandry practices. Although the expedition doesn't result in any live sitings of these elusive cats, it does provide useful information, show more and helps in overall conservation efforts...

Published as part of publisher Charlesbridge's Scientists in the Field series, Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia is only the second book I have read from Montgomery, following upon her picture book, Inky's Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart Octopus Found His Way Home. I am aware of her work, of course, and intend to track down more of it, but the impetus for my requesting this specific title from the library was my recent enjoyment of Justin Anderson's picture book, Snow Leopard: Ghost of the Mountains, and my search for similar titles. This is a more extensive exploration, and is really a photo-illustrated, picture book-dimension chapter book, suitable for middle grade readers. It is informative and engaging. I appreciated everything I learned, both about snow leopards and about Mongolia. I also appreciated some of the little tidbits of information—such as the fact that dogs are used to determine which scat belongs to which species!—that weren't central to the subject, but which were nevertheless interesting. Like the author, a part of me wished there had been a snow leopard siting on the expedition, but I accepted the fact (as she did) that this wasn't always possible, and that the journey was worthwhile, all the same. These elusive cats are simply gorgeous, and from the sounds of it, also very clever. Long may they survive in their mountain home! Recommended to young animal lovers, and to anyone interested in snow leopards and/or Mongolia. show less

This beautifully woven photographic essay paints a picture of one man's journey through Mongolia in search of the elusive snow leopard. Not only does the reader learn of the snow leopard itself, but also of the Mongolian people and culture, the landscape, and other animals involved in their ecosystem. The pictures make the words of the text resonate off the page to provide an intimate look into the world of the snow leopard and the Mongolian people. In particular, this book follows the tracks of two previously studied snow leopards named Blue and Yellow, including individual pictures of each.

In this book you walk through the stages of saving the Snow Leopards in Mongolia. It talks about the cultures of the Mongolia people and how they could have a factor in the endangerment of these leopards. In order to help the leopard scientist had to first find them and monitor them trying to pin point the reason for the decrease in the population. This is a book for children interested in science and animals.

Have you ever wondered how to save an endangered animal? This is the misson of the team of people described here. The snow leopard of Mongolia is almost extinct, so finding the animals is the first step, then tracking them, and protecting them follow. The journey is photographed and includes the scientific process used, history of the area, and information about everyday life in Mongolia.

Another great entry in the Scientists in the Field series, Saving the Ghost of the Mountain takes the reader along on an expedition to study snow leopards in the deserts of Mongolia. Information about Mongolian people and culture are interspersed with information about the rare, endangered snow leopards and efforts to protect the species.

Recommended for fans of the series and for kids interested in adventure and animals. Pair this title with Horse Song: The Naadam of Mongolia by Ted & Betsy Lewin for a further glimpse into Mongolian life.

Read my full review on my blog: http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/09/book-review-saving-ghost-of-mountain.h...

The text focuses on McCarthy’s collection of data and the author’s narrative during a three-week expedition. The informative telling of the collection of scat, the tenuous hikes and their interactions with the local population maneuvers the story through the harsh conditions of Mongolia. Interspersed throughout Montgomery’s account are McCarthy’s recitations of his scare encounters with snow leopards. Insets provide facts about snow leopards and Mongolia’s people, history and culture. The illustrated map at the beginning of the text gives the audience a glimpse of the snow leopard in a global view. Bishop’s photographs capture the generosity of the Mongolian people, the determination of McCarthy and the commitment of the show more team to their project with charm and detail. The book is not a convenient size but it suits the contents. Readers will gather a sense of the devotedness that the members of Snow Leopard Trust carry with them as well as a glimpse of what these elusive creatures are like.

School Library Journal Best Book of 2009
A NSTA/CBS Outstanding Science Trade Book for 2010
2009 Booklists's editors' list of the Top 10 Environmental Titles for Youth show less

Well written with pictures from the expedition. It reads a bit like a journal, chronologically from the beginning of the trip to the end. Scattered throughout are facts about the snow leopard and Mongolia.