Listen. . . Can you hear the river calling you? Rushing and bubbling, splashing or still, the river has so much to teach us.
Whenever Maya visits the river, the river jumps up to greet her. It cools her down when the summer sun is too hot, and holds her up when she dives in. It keeps her company in the quiet of winter. The river takes care of Maya and Maya takes care of the river.
In this gentle story of love and respect for nature, Maya Christina Gonzalez combines her award-winning talents as an artist and storyteller. Young readers will be inspired by the joy and wonder of being outdoors, and learn powerful lessons about their environment and themselves.
Maya Christina Gonzalez is an acclaimed fine artist, educator, and award-winning children's book illustrator. This is the second book that she has both written and illustrated. She has also created artwork for 20 other children's books, including: My Colors, My World, My Very Own Room, and Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems.
- Américas Award Honorable Mention
- International Latino Award, Best Children's Picture Book of 2010
- ForeWord Book of the Year Award, Finalist
- ReadBoston Best Read Aloud Book Award, Finalist
"The author's love and respect for the natural beauty and rhythm of the river and how it sustains her through quiet and vibrant moods is vividly portrayed in both her words and paintings. . . Inspiring and peacefully thought-provoking." —Kirkus Reviews
"[A] lovely picture book..." —School Library Journal
"Award-winning artist Maya Christina Gonzalez brings a broad concept down to an easy-to-understand level in this bilingual tale of love and respect for nature." —Mother Nature Network
"Charcoal and watercolor illustrations perfectly complement the text, creating an ethereal and surreal atmosphere that successfully represents nature's fragility, reinforces the importance of being environmentally conscientious, and signifies the strong bond that centuries of Latin Americans have had with nature." —REFORMA Newsletter
"Gonzalez deftly describes, in English and Spanish, how the child feels connected with nature," —The Horn Book Guide
