Book Review: Ten Rivers that Shaped the World by Marilee Peters, Kim Rosen

Ten Rivers that Shaped the World is a children's nonfiction book written by Marilee Peters and illustrated by Kim Rosen. Rivers can be extraordinarily powerful, and not just because of their fast-flowing currents. They can make civilizations rise or crumble, divide cultures or link them together, and even provide crucial clues to where we came from. Dive into these ten surprising stories about the power of rivers through the ages, including: why you can trace just about every hit song back to the Mississippi River; why the Amazon helped scientists discover how species evolve; how the massive Three Gorges Dam displaced over one million Chinese; and why people in India have gathered to bathe in the Ganges for thousands of years. A combination of storytelling, original art, and colorful photos take readers on a unique journey across time and place.

Ten Rivers that Shaped the World combines historical fiction about the rivers with history, archeology, geology, and geography. The stories and facts are paired with colorful illustrations and photographs to keep readers interested. Each of the sections has a story based on the river's history, a map showing the river being discussed, some of the ancient history of the river as well as fossils that have been found there. There are also details about how the river has changed over the years,  the people who live along them, and the flora and fauna that depend on them. There have been civilizations that have both risen and fallen along these mighty rivers and conflicts surrounding them. The history and science surrounding each of these rivers is astounding and intriguing. It inspired me to do some further research, and just might do the same for other readers (children and adults alike).

Ten Rivers that Shaped the World is an intriguing read that taught me all sorts of interesting facts about famous rivers and landscapes that I thought I already understood. This book would be a great addition to school and classroom libraries to begin discussions about world history and a variety of sciences.