Using historical facts and rollicking rhythm, author Jean L.S. Patrick reveals how the mountain was carved and why George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were chosen. Rich illustrations by Reně Graef make the unique history of Mount Rushmore come alive for children.

The first book to tell the complete story of Rushmore. "I had seen the photographs and the drawings of this great work. And yet, until about ten minutes ago I had no conception of its magnitude, its permanent beauty and its importance." —Franklin Delano Roosevelt, upon first viewing Mount Rushmore, August 30, 1936 Now in paperback, The Carving of Mount Rushmore tells the complete story of the largest and certainly the most spectacular sculpture in existence. More than 60 black-and-white photographs offer unique views of this gargantuan effort, and author Rex Alan Smith—a man born and raised within sight of Rushmore—recounts with the sensitivity of a native son the ongoing struggles of sculptor Gutzon Borglum and his workers.

A country boy born in a small town named Porterdale just southeast of Atlanta became a man with a purpose. How does someone rise up from barely completing high school take on such a monumental task such as etching out three historical figures from the Civil War. I tell you how...a man that went above and beyond the vision that God gave him to work day and night and sometimes seven days a week until the job was finished.. My dad is a man who has been dedicated to everything he has come in contact with ...from helping his mother around the house as well enlisting into the Marine Corp to help provide financial support and then soon marrying my mom to start his own family. He knew that day on Jefferson Street when he was playing football and the ball struck my mom's ankle that she would one day be his wife and the mother of his children. Daddy loved the ocean so much that once a year in August he would take us on a family vacation to Daytona Beach and other trips he would go to Panama City to enjoy one of his favorite past times which was deep-sea fishing. He was so determined that he would never leave his boat until he was satified with his catch. A young man with many jobs starting out as a newspaper boy and moving onto a position as a welder never dreamed that one day he would be hired as the man to erect an outside 400-foot elevator that would ascend up the side of Stone Mountain. This man who fell in love with the mountain and became the Chief Carver of the Confederate Memorial is the same simple man that never took an art lesson in his life and believed that he had a purpose which soon became a historical monument that we all have come to love and enjoy."

Referred to by some as The Eighth Wonder of the World, Stone Mountain, located 16 miles from Atlanta, Georgia, is the largest exposed mass of granite in the world. Freeman, a freelance historian, narrates the development of the mountain from the days that it served as a Native American domain, through the carving of an historic Confederate monument, to its present status as a tourist attraction and recreational area. Enhanced with bandw photographs. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

A brief introduction to the construction of the huge sculpture carved into Mt. Rushmore, South Dakota, and to the four presidents represented there.

"Should appeal to all rugged individualists who dream of escape to the forest."—The New York Times Book Review Sam Gribley is terribly unhappy living in New York City with his family, so he runs away to the Catskill Mountains to live in the woods—all by himself. With only a penknife, a ball of cord, forty dollars, and some flint and steel, he intends to survive on his own. Sam learns about courage, danger, and independence during his year in the wilderness, a year that changes his life forever. “An extraordinary book . . . It will be read year after year.” —The Horn Book

For 20 years, Dashrath Manjhi used a hammer and chisel, grit and determination to carve a path through the mountain separating his poor village from the nearby village with schools, markets, and a hospital. This inspirational story shows how everyone can make a difference if their heart is big enough. Full color.

Shares the accomplishments of Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor responsible for the creation of Mount Rushmore, revealing his motivations for constructing the monument and the response he received after its completion.

A worker on the project to construct Mount Rushmore answers questions posed to him over the years about the memorial.

"When prairie dog and his friends search for the Four Famous Faces, they become confused. They think they're looking for animal faces! With wordplay, poetry, and rich illustrations, the award-winning team of Jean L.S. Patrick and Renée Graef leads readers through the famous parks, memorials, and monuments of the Badlands and Black Hills region. Bonus! Six pages of facts about the animals, geology, and history of each location" -- page 4 of cover.