The book “What is a River?” by Lithuanian illustrator and storyteller Monika Vaicenavičienė is a beautiful prose poem about the things a river is and can be. It is also part encyclopedia and curious young biomimicrists will find lots of things to ponder over. Facts about famous rivers and the animals and people who live along the rivers are beautifully explored and expressed in lyrical language. Monika weaves together ideas from a range of sources – geographical, historical, scientific, religious, industrial, and environmental information, and observations.
The story begins with a little girl picking flowers on the banks of the river. Her grandmother is embroidering a tablecloth.
The girl asks her Grandma what is a river?
“A river is a thread, says Grandma.
It embroiders our world with beautiful patterns. It connects people and places, past and present. It stitches stories together”
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“The ancient Greeks believed that the whole world was encircled by the great river Oceanus, which was the source of all water on Earth.“
A stunningly beautiful and thought-provoking book. You may never look at a river in the same way! Beneath its surface, there are hidden depths.
You can read through the story or dive deeper into a page and explore the journey the little girl and her Grandma are making.
Highly recommended!
Biomimicry for Young Children 