This is a special story time video for all of the kids, but many adults will enjoy this sweet story of days gone by.
When I Was Young In The Mountains
By Cynthia Rylant
Click here for more information about this book or to order a copy.
Click below to watch more of my favorite stories!
Yum 
I think your eyes were leaking, as we’re mine! I did not grow up in the mountains, but have lived in Eastern Kentucky now for 5 years… Love every bit of it!
I am so glad you enjoyed!! 🙂 I think they might have been leaking a little.
Loved every written and spoken word of this video! Thank you, Christy!
Thank you Debbie!! ~HUGS~
Mrs. Christy ,
You made my eyes leak !!! Don’t worry it was the good kind, just remembering stories I was told when I was younger . I am like you I long for these rolling hills and tall Alabama Pine trees !!!!! Thank you your sweet stories!
I am so glad you enjoyed it Kaitlyn, even if I did make your eyes leak a little!. I hope you have a blessed day!! ~HUGS~
Miss Christy,
Oh, how you made my eyes leak as well! This story makes me so homesick for my childhood. I was raised in the mountains of southeastern Kentucky, and this story just brought back so many memories of my parents and grandparents. There is nothing like growing up in the mountains, and they will always be my home. I had to share this on Facebook with my family. When you told the story, I felt like I was a little girl back home and you could easily have been one of my sisters. Thank you for sharing such a lovely story. You just made my day!!!
I am so glad you enjoyed it Lisa!!
Such a good story, Christy! The way you read it, you could tell your heart was in it! It’s nice to visit other places, but “There’s no place like home.” I LOVE my AlaBAMA. By the way, that blouse (what I could see) looked pretty on you, but I think I still like you in pink the best!
What a great story with an even greater message to cherish where we come from and enjoy the simple things in life. Thank you for posting this sweet story video. This was one of the best and most touching stories I have ever heard.
Blessings to you & your family,
Libby
I loved hearing you read this book. You are a true teacher at heart! I use this book quite often in my classroom of 5th graders, and the kids would love your version is so much better than my read aloud. If it is ok with you, I will play the video for my kids. I may live in the south but some of my students have never seen a cow even though some live only 20 minutes from them! They certainly don’t know what johnnyhouses are. It was a wonderful surprise to come across Southern Plate while looking for a recipe for sawdust pie. I am from Paducah and was pleased to see that you discovered some of my favorite restaurants during the Quilt Show, including Patti’s. We just ate there a few nights ago and were too full after huge pork chops for dessert. I owe my husband one of his favorite pies. Keep up your wonderful work!
Thank you so much Julie!!! I would be honored for you to play it to them!!
Hi Christy! I love your recipes so much and now to find these books!!! You make me wish I was from the south and not California. I would love to play your story time videos in my classroom for my fourth graders. They don’t get much exposure to other cultures since my school is 98% Latino. Would it be O.K. to show all 25 at one time? I don’t want to misuse your site, but it’s fantastic!
I would be honored! Oh wow, play away! I just do these for my own enjoyment to get to spend time with kids:) so the more the merrier!
Wow. My grandmother gave me this book when I was little, and I had forgotten about it until I saw this post. Some parts of your reading made my eyes leak. Thanks for all you do and thanks for guiding me on a trip down memory lane.
Christy, you’ve just “made my day!” WHEN I WAS YOUNG IN THE MOUNTAINS was the basis for my all-time favorite unit during 30+ years of teaching. most of which were with first graders. It was a wonderful introduction to learning about the Appalachian area of our country. With help from parent volunteers, we spent one day preparing and eating the meal described in this precious book. Cynthia Rylant was very gracious to send our class a personal message along with other items related to the book, and we proudly had those framed to share with the school as the beginning of an “Author’s Wall” of messages from famous authors of children’s books. This particular book never fails to bring a tear to my eyes, and I’m so glad you introduced it to your audience!
Zoey is waiting for you to do a Dora story time video!!!
Cynthia Rylant! Oh, I love that author and I love this book. When I was a student teacher, I had a class whose students were largely of Appalachian heritage, so I did a unit on Appalachia. This was one of the books that I used.
If you haven’t heard of her, may I suggest Rebecca Caudill? Like Rylant, she’s an Appalachian author, but she hails from Kentucky. She also has one of THE very best Christmas stories ever — A Certain Small Shepherd. The book was written long before autism was diagnosed or discussed, but the main character of the story is a little boy who is nonverbal and is clearly autistic. Even if your child isn’t autistic, I guarantee it’ll bring a sniffle and a good, warm feeling, but if your child is (like mine) — well, you’ll probably do more than sniffle. But it’s a wonderful story, and touches upon a southeastern Kentucky legend, the Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come.
I’d also recommend her Best Loved Doll or A Pocket Full of Cricket for young readers, or Barrie and Daughter for older ones. Really, anything she wrote was wonderful.
Thank you so much for all of the suggestions Elizabeth!!!!!