Get our latest staff recommendations, award news and digital catalog links right to your inbox.
Table of Contents
About The Book
This winter was snowy, this spring brought a terrible blizzard, and now
the river is rising.
Sandbags don't stop it, the dikes don't stop it, and late one night sirens warn everyone to evacuate. A girl and her family don't expect to be gone more than a couple of days, so they leave their cat and race for shelter with only a suitcase each. But as days stretch into weeks they worry: Is the cat safe? Will they have a home to return to? And how will their lives be changed?
In searing, personal poems, Jane Kurtz explores what it's like to struggle through a flood and pull your life together afterward. Inspired by Kurtz's own flood experience, this tale is realistic and unforgettable. Not just a moving story of one girl's courage, River Friendly, River Wild is a tribute to everyone who's ever faced great loss.
the river is rising.
Sandbags don't stop it, the dikes don't stop it, and late one night sirens warn everyone to evacuate. A girl and her family don't expect to be gone more than a couple of days, so they leave their cat and race for shelter with only a suitcase each. But as days stretch into weeks they worry: Is the cat safe? Will they have a home to return to? And how will their lives be changed?
In searing, personal poems, Jane Kurtz explores what it's like to struggle through a flood and pull your life together afterward. Inspired by Kurtz's own flood experience, this tale is realistic and unforgettable. Not just a moving story of one girl's courage, River Friendly, River Wild is a tribute to everyone who's ever faced great loss.
About The Author
Photo courtesy of the author
Jane Kurtz was born in Portland, Oregon, but when she was two years old, her parents decided to move to Ethiopia, where she spent most of her childhood. Jane speaks about being an author at schools and conferences—in all but eleven of the United States, so far, and such places as Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, France, Germany, Romania, England, Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Japan. She helped start Ethiopia Reads (EthiopiaReads.org), a nonprofit that has opened the first libraries for children in Ethiopia. She is the author of many books for children, including What Do They Do with All that Poo? illustrated by Allison Black, Do Kangaroos Wear Seat Belts? illustrated by Jane Manning, Anna Was Here, and the American Girl book Lanie.
About The Illustrator
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (March 1, 2000)
- Length: 40 pages
- ISBN13: 9780689820496
- Grades: P - 3
- Ages: 4 - 8
- Lexile ® AD630L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®
Browse Related Books
Awards and Honors
- CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): River Friendly, River Wild Hardcover 9780689820496(0.1 MB)
- Author Photo (jpg): Jane Kurtz Photo courtesy of the author(0.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
