I am finally at the finish line of the October blogging challenges. Today’s post is the last one, for Day 31, and the title being featured will take you on a journey around the world as you explore its grand and nurturing rivers. The book is aptly titled ‘Rivers : A Visual History from River to Sea’ by the award winning author of Timeline, Peter Goes.

Title: Rivers : A Visual History from River to Sea
Author/Illustrator: Peter Goes
Age Range: 7 – 12 years
Publisher: Gecko Press
Type: Non-fiction/Children’s picture Books/Geography
Source: Copy provided by Lerner Publishing

Book Description:

A breathtaking journey along the world’s most important rivers, from the author of international bestseller Timeline.

This breathtaking journey on the world’s most important rivers, seas and oceans tells the story of our planet through cultures, myths, icons and history. It takes us from the Nile to the Amazon, the Mekong Delta to the Mississippi, the Murray to the Waikato.

Each map is full of fascinating facts about nature, culture and history, with major events and historical figures alongside favourite stories and icons.

As the life source of people, animals and the land itself, the world’s waterways tell a compelling story about our history and our lives today. This absorbing, playful book shows who we are, how we live and the myths we weave around our people and places

My Thoughts on Rivers:

I have a few coffee table books but no actual coffee table (there is one relegated to a corner due to lack of space). The books themselves don’t get much notice but with this one, I have ensured it is visible, right out there for all to see 🙂

Peter Goes starts off with our largest water bodies – the oceans – in the first double-page spread.  Goes then works by continents featuring major rivers on each gloriously detailed and beautiful double-page illustration. The colors and the illustrations themselves are simply breathtaking.

Each spread includes information about the history, the natural riches, the people and civilizations that flourished around the featured river, as well as snippets of interesting and fun facts that are sure to make you smile and leave you smarter at the end of the book! Spreads also include drawings and factoids about other land-forms and water-bodies related to or close by the featured river. The illustrations are a mix of the whimsical and the fanciful depictions of myths and realities , as well as real and naturalistic representations of the world as we know it.

Take a little bit of fact and some of fiction, throw in some geography and history as well as nature lessons too, and  add in whimsy along with the more serious side of the impact of mankind on nature – all of these come together to make this book just, well, wonderful! All of this abundance of beautiful illustrations and loads of facts flow along the pages just like the rivers themselves. So lose yourself in this mighty journey from beginning to end of Rivers: A Visual History from River to Sea

This book will appeal to all ages. While the younger ones are sure to be enthralled by the visual details and whimsical facts like ‘there is secret spot at the South Pole where snowballs winter over’, older kids and adults will find the richness of information and illustration totally enriching.

Few Fun Facts to Wet Your Feet In While You Wait for the Book:

• The Japanese spider crabs have the longest legs of any arthropod – they can span more than 4 m (13 ft).
• The Amazon forest is sometimes called the lungs of the world – it produces about 20% of the world’s oxygen.
• The Fly river in Papua New Guinea is the longest undammed river in the world.
• A tap was put in at the source of the Loire from which water flows. There is also a spring in a nearby meadow. No one knows which of them is the true source.

Aren’t these fun facts? The book is flooded with them, literally!!

In Summary:

A book that is as grand as the rivers it features. A mighty addition to school libraries and a coffee table book that will be one not just for display but always in use! This is a totally giftable book, for those lovers of geography, coffee table books that are worthy and fact-filled, and for that everyone!

And I forgot to mention earlier, it is a big book too – 14.5 * 10.7 inches!!

Rating: A
Reading Level: 7 years and above
Reread Level: 5/5

Disclaimer: Thank you to Lerner Publishing for sending me a review copy. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated in any other way by the publishers or others for this review.

Buy it from Lerner Publishing (not an affiliate:))

 

Buy from Book Depository here

You can order it from Target here

Order it from Amazon here

Buy it from Barnes and Noble here

Question to you, dear readers: Would love to know if you have read any similar books? Do let me know.

And I am thrilled to have reached the finish line finally for the October Ultimate Blog Challenge.

Writing this post as a series for the Ultimate Blog Challenge and Write 31 Days.  31 Days, 31 Books! This is for Day Thirty One, and I am DONE!!!

Day 0 Day 1  Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5  Day 6  Day 7 Day 8 Day 9  Day 10 Day 11  Day 12 Day 13   Day 14  Day 15  Day 16  Day 17  Day 18  Day 19 Day 20 Day 21 Day 22  Day 23  Day 24  Day 25  Day 26  Day 27  Day 28  Day 29  Day 30