When The Mountain Wakes

Written and illustrated by Matt Shanks

Reviewed by Lara Cain Gray

Author and illustrator Matt Shanks is probably best known to young readers for his many lively, humorous picture books, particularly his series of contemporary Australian nursery rhymes. His online journaling and work for social good also reveal him to be a highly principled and values-driven creator. When The Mountain Wakes is an expression of Shanks’ commitment to environmental awareness, taking us on a journey with a mountain in search of a song.

It opens ‘somewhere towards the beginning of time’ as a mountain rises from the ocean. Life sings a lullaby for millions of years and the mountain peacefully sleeps. ‘Life’ in this sense is the myriad evolutions of the space around the mountain – the comings and goings of natural phenomena, civilizations rising and falling, humans making way for other life forms. Until, one day, the world falls silent. All around the mountain, the earth is dry and bare.

Awoken by the quiet, the mountain rises for the first time and sets out to find a song. It travels for a thousand years, finding nothing but ‘the silence of stone and sand’. Just as it is about to give up, it finds a tiny sign of life. The mountain picks up a small flower to carry back home. As they wander, the flower sheds seeds, gradually re energising the environment. The more the earth sings with life, the more the mountain grows drowsy, until eventually it sleeps once more.

In picture book format, but with many layout and design traits of a graphic novel, this is a book of few words, with exceptional visual storytelling. The narrative blends elements of fable and creation story with the ecocritical perspectives increasingly visible in children’s books, supporting a sense of hope for young readers in the face of dire environmental realities. The messages include a reminder that small moments of awareness can be meaningful and impactful, and that even the most rigid and immobile of us can embrace fresh perspectives. It calls us all to ‘wake up’ and ‘take steps’ towards creating a brighter future for our planet.

This more obvious reading of the book’s central metaphor will be useful with younger readers, who can also benefit from the many wordless spreads that invite deep exploration of the landscape and characterisation. For older (or any) readers, there is more to be understood about our current position in the unfathomably long timeline of our planet, the earth’s natural cycles in contrast to the change that humans are imposing, and mindful engagement with nature’s ‘lullaby’. Students of art, or readers who enjoy the visual grammar of a comic or graphic novel, will find great joy in the variety of spreads, changing perspectives and skillfully applied colour palette in this book. For all readers, it presents a picture book with multiple levels and layers, which may be best read in tandem with carers to continue its worthy conversation.

 Affirm Kids 2025

Matt Shanks

Lara Cain Gray is the author of The Grown-Ups Guide to Picture Books