Published by Little, Brown and Company

Summary:  The river flows night and day, not realizing it’s a river until Bear falls into it.  He doesn’t realize he’s on an adventure until Froggy hops on his head. As each animal is added to the group, they learn something new about themselves.  Finally, they all go over a waterfall and help one another to have a fun and furious ride. “So many different animals living heir separate lives, but they didn’t know they were in it together…until…the river came along.”  Includes notes from the author and illustrator on the genesis of the book. 40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  The illustrations are gorgeous and fun (I’ve seen this book mentioned as a Caldecott contender); kids will enjoy all the animals and may even get the message about celebrating differences and working together.

Cons:  The author seemed to be trying a little too hard to push his message, even spelling it out in the author’s note.

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