Rivers (Earthworks) - Hardcover

Ages 5-8. From a trickle of raindrops and melting snow in the mountains a river is born. What happens after that? Harrison explains how trickles turn into rills, rills into streamlets, streamlets into streams that form deep channels as they grow. The text, awkwardly presented in verse, also describes how much depends on rivers: people need them, of course, as do trees, flowers, and the tiny creatures at the bottom of the complex aquatic food chain. Full-page, color illustrations with a slightly three-dimensional look show how rivers are built--dirt and pebbles grinding the banks and bottoms to make them wider and deeper and the river floor flattening as time passes. There's also basic information on conservation and pollution--along with a clear sense of the wonder of it all. An author's note and bibliography are appended. Shelley Townsend-Hudson
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Grade 1-4-This book touches on many topics that are part of the elementary-grade science curriculum: the water cycle, food chains, ecology, farming, geology, and environmental awareness. The emphasis, of course, is on rivers, their natural formation, and their journeys from the tops of mountains to their mouths, where the fresh water meets the sea. In clear, poetic prose, Harrison describes the creation of a river and its importance to the ecological balance of our world. With an emphasis on environmentalism, the book ends with a positive point: "Nature depends on rivers. We depend on rivers. Rivers depend on us." Colorful, lively illustrations match the text on each double-page spread. Pair this book with Lynne Cherry's A River Ran Wild (Harcourt, 1992) for Earth Day celebrations or environmental studies.
Lynn Dye, Keheley Elementary School, Marietta, GA
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