Each minilesson explains facts about rivers-for example, how deltas are created, which animals are nourished by the waterways, and how ancient Greeks thought that the world was encircled by one great river. A river is a thread connecting people and places, says Grandma a journey, a home, and much more. Grandma embroiders a tablecloth, and the girl collects flowers, when she asks, “What is a river?” The answers, one per double-page spread, explain many aspects of rivers, not only in the context of their features but also in a way that emphasizes our interconnectedness with nature. ★“The curious little girl narrator and her grandmother while away time at a riverbank in Vaicenavičienė’s dreamy look at rivers and their significance to the world, in this picture book for older readers translated from Swedish. The narrative weaves in the encyclopedic-geology and history, curious statistics about famous rivers-but fact and feeling remain entwined in the poetic.' -Maria Popova, Brain Pickings

★A Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings) Loveliest Children’s Book of 2021★ ' What Is a River? part prose poem and part encyclopedia, exploring the many things a river is and can be, ecologically and existentially. Along with essential facts about nature, the author-illustrator delves into the historical and emotional connections shaped by these waterways.” - Washington Post ★A Washington Post Best Children’s Book of 2021★ “This beautiful book, originally published in Sweden, celebrates all the ways rivers work, including as refreshment, as a home for animals and as a source of energy.

A river enchanted book