I am River
Project Details
A children's book wherein the St Lawrence River tells its own story; from its formation after glacial meltdown to the modern-day challenges it faces, the River encourages kids to empathize with and appreciate it and all the animals and plants it supports.
Project Description
Naomi and Emanuelle are both pursuing bachelor’s degrees in environmental sciences in Montreal, Canada. Naomi has a background in early childhood education, and Emanuelle in science and conservation outreach. Through their work, each noticed that children in Montreal were often unaware of the St Lawrence River which surrounds them. When their paths converged through an Ocean Wise youth program, they decided to do something about it; as a team, they created, co-authored and illustrated I am River.
The book centers the St Lawrence as narrator which encourages readers to empathize and engage with the River as a holistic entity. In the book, the River tells how it was formed from glaciers melting, and describes its various ecozones. The River further describes how it can be helped or harmed by human activity, and calls upon children to treat it kindly and with respect. The art style is painterly, and there are lots of added details along with the narrative: 51 plant and animal species and six human communities are depicted and named in the illustrations.
