U.S. People & Places - Miscellaneous, Fiction - General & Miscellaneous, Southeastern States
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Overview
Deep and strong.
I sing an old, enduring song.
Thousands of years ago, tiny streams of melting glacial water converged to form a great river, the Mississippi. In time, masses of people flocked to its shores: Native tribes fished its waters and paddled their canoes across its flowing byways. European settlers pushed flatboats southward in search of fertile land to clear for farms and towns. Cities sprang up along its shores. Today, towboats push and pull, and ships' propellers hum, singing a song of commerce.
With rolling cadences and stunning illustrations, Diane Siebert and Greg Harlin paint a portrait of a mighty river that is the lifeblood of a nation, flowing deep, strong, and free.
Editorials
Children's Literature
The river announces itself in rhymed cadences—"I am the river, /Deep and strong. /I sing an old, enduring song /With rhythms wild and rhythms tame..." From its beginning in melting glaciers through the arrival of the Native Americans, the Westward movement of European arrivals, the industrialization and development along the banks, to the constant changes and floods as it flows out to sea, the river tells its own fascinating story. Harlin has added emotional fiber to the mostly descriptive text. His horizontal scenes across the pages frequently include animals and humans to add naturalistic specificity to the historical narrative, from ancient mammals to people sandbagging against floods. His pigments saturate the pages with colors, reflecting the emotions of the river's moods—the gushing, dirty oranges of industrial pollution contrasting with the greens of the early years and the endless blues as the Delta joins the Gulf of Mexico. There are added notes about the river, a list of river words with definitions, and a fine map on the endpapers. 2001, HarperCollins, $16.95. Ages 4 to 9. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia MarantzSchool Library Journal
Gr 3 Up-In a flow of powerful words and images, Siebert invites readers on a poetic journey down America's most famous river: "I am the river,/Deep and strong./I sing an old, enduring song/With rhythms wild and rhythms tame,/And Mississippi is my name." The story moves through time, first paying tribute to the Choctaw, Winnebago, Sioux, Chicasaw, and Illinois; next it sings of the early European settlers, the Civil War, and industrialization; and ends in the modern era. Harlin's magnificent watercolor paintings capture the spirit of the mighty river and the passage of time. Each evocative picture complements Siebert's nearly flawless verse. Readers will appreciate the one-page "About the River" section at the end, as well as the "River Words" glossary and the double-page map of the important cities along its banks. Ideal for reading aloud or dramatizing, this book is a joyous celebration of the Mississippi, including its dangers and challenges, and will be well received by both children and adults.-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.Book Details
Published
May 1, 2001
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Pages
40
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780688164454