If the Rivers Run Free

June 1, 2023
A rhymed appeal to free the many rivers and streams buried beneath city streets. Paired with Debbink's earnest verse ("They captured the currents, / and green turned to gray / as the rivers' bright habitats faded away"), Wong's carefully detailed scenes depict unspoiled waterways that attract and are in time dominated, polluted, and finally covered by growing cities. However, in the names of flood control and habitat renewal, these bodies of water have come at last to be "daylighted" once again. Rather than name specific rivers that have been covered or restored, the author opts for an emotional plea to consider the beauty and benefits open rivers bring to urban ecosystems in general: "So think about this when you walk down the street: / There could be a river right under your feet. / Then imagine the wonders, the world that could be; / you will see it yourself, if the rivers run free." Two light-skinned children running obliviously down a sidewalk over a covered culvert on the first page are left at the end looking thoughtful and visualizing an idyllic riverine greenway running through their neighborhood. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A gentle reminder that we haven't been good to our natural home, but it's not too late to make amends. (afterword) (Picture book. 6-8)

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Starred review from July 1, 2023
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* Looking back through the centuries when city sites were chosen based on the location of rivers to provide clean water and transportation, this unusual picture book points out that those rivers, later covered over by urban streets and sidewalks, were altered for relatively short-term benefits without considering long-term environmental consequences. Debbink offers an alternate view of Earth's rivers as a vital part of our ecosystem, mismanaged by previous generations. As a remedy, she focuses on the idea of "daylighting" (uncovering) urban rivers built over long ago, a process undertaken in certain Australian, European, and North American cities. She encourages kids to imagine the ecologically bright future if we follow their lead. "So think about this when you walk down the street: / There could be a river right under your feet. / Then imagine the wonders, / the world that could be; / you will see it yourself, / if the rivers run free." Making key points while moving steadily toward the conclusion, the book's rhymed couplets vary in tone from lyrical visions to plainspoken truths. The same tones resonate through Wong's graceful illustrations, which contrast smoggy, overcrowded cityscapes with peaceful scenes of rivers winding through idyllic landscapes filled with sunlight, warmth, and life. A captivating, persuasive picture book.

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