The Mountain Breathes

By MATTHEW H. MAXWELL

A tiny salamander. A rising mist. A mountain that holds its breath.
When a flash flood and an invading horde of fire ants destroy her moss-log home, Sula - a red-cheeked salamander no longer than a child's finger - must climb toward the legendary Cloudspring, a hidden sanctuary rumored to sing. Along the way she allies with Pip, a hyper-fast pygmy shrew with a knack for sabotage, and Lyra, a scarlet tanager grounded by a broken wing. But the trio soon discover a greater threat: logging machines and toxic chemicals poised to silence the mountain forever.

High in the mist-draped ridges of Highlands, North Carolina - the "Salamander Capital of the World" - Sula and her growing fellowship of brook salamanders, cave-nymphs, and stone-strong hellbenders must forge an unprecedented alliance. Armed only with water, song, and the courage of the small, they will stand against relentless fire ants and the iron jaws of industry. One wrong move could doom an entire ecosystem; one brave leap could teach it to breathe again.

Join Sula as she discovers that even the smallest heartbeat can echo across a mountain-and change the world.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F5H4RT87
• ISBN13: 9798280302556
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 76 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"