River Song: With the Banana Slug String Band

by Steve Van Zandt, Katherine Zecca (Illustrator)

For an introduction to the water cycle or just to celebrate Earth Day, this is a book/CD combo that both pleases and informs. The author is not only an award-winning environmental educator and river guide, but also member of the well-known Banana Slug String Band. From the trickle of snowmelt to the roar of the ocean, River Song celebrates rivers as a fascinating, ever-changing source of life and joy. It also introduces the young reader to vocabulary such as eddy, riffle and meander, and tells about some of the plants, animals, and insects that depend on the river. The attached CD presents the vibrant rendition from the band.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2007

Reviews

[James Vickery · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a good book about a river habitat with the engagement of a song for students readers. The book also comes with a CD that can be played for extra comprehension with students. This book would be great to introduce habitats in the second grade. The book also includes many animals that one might find in a river.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great piece of writing, great flow, educational, entertaining. Additionally, the illustrations were beautiful. Great for the water cycle and river ecology. Highly recommended.

[Arely Cortes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about a river throughout the year. At first its frozen then goes through canyon walls and in the summer kids play on the shallow side and grandparents stick their feet in and parents relax near some orange lilies. At the end of the day deers come and drink water. Then the river keeps going till it enters the sea.

[Kelly Wickham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells the story through song about a river rolling through the forest and the beautiful animals and landscapes that it encounters as it flows. The pictures are gorgeous and the song is beautifully poetic, although the CD that went with the book has been lost.

"Blurp ah pa-shoosh rumbly pound
A white rapid river makes a wonderful sound"

[Jecel Cortes · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's not much to say about the story. It mostly about how a river goes throw every were and were is starts and were it ends. I would read this to a little kid, but it still is a good book just not the best.

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2023