River of Dreams: The Story of the Hudson River - Hardcover

Talbott, Hudson

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0399245219 ISBN 13: 9780399245213

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2009

Synopsis

The Hudson River has been a source of inspiration and a means of livelihood to all who have lived along its shores. It played a key role in the settling of the New World and the outcome of the Revolutionary War, and was the birthplace of the environmental movement. Now Hudson Talbott pays homage to the river that shares his name in a gorgeously illustrated, fascinating account of the river?s history.

Each appealing spread sheds exciting light on the river?s strategic, economic and cultural signifi cance. Packed with facts, timelines and maps, this is a wonderful introduction to a wide range of topics including the Age of Exploration, the Erie Canal, the Industrial Age, American arts and literature and the environment. River of Dreams is truly a book with something for everyone.

About this title

About the Author:

Hudson Talbott (www.hudsontalbott.com) wrote and illustrated From Wolf to Woof, United Tweets of America, River of Dreams, and It’s All About Me-ow, and he has illustrated numerous picture books, including Newbery Honor winner Show Way (by Jacqueline Woodson) and Leonardo’s Horse (by Jean Fritz), an ALA Notable Book and a VOYA Honor Book. He lives in the Hudson Valley of New York and New York City.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 4–6—A boy gazes from his nighttime window, dreaming of New York, "the great city on the river that bore my name—Hudson." This personalized opening has the look of a bedtime story and may deter some readers, but Talbott uses dreams as a theme around which he winds an engaging history. He adroitly utilizes the picture-book format to chronicle the Hudson's course through the experiences of various dreamers. He describes the long period of habitation by Native peoples, settlement by Holland and then by England, the "American" revolt against English rule, the post-Revolution boom in shipping traffic, the building of the Erie Canal, and more. Watercolor, colored pencil, and ink illustrations are filled with scenes that are sometimes realistic, at other times more fanciful. A few spreads have color blocks, vignettes, information bits, and a winding river that bears significant dates. The river hit hard times as the rush to commerce made it a dumping ground; it is now in recovery. Echoing the opening tone, he closes with a romanticized and personal note: "It's now my turn to help in keeping the river of dreams flowing, for all those dreamers yet to come." The further reading list and Web sites are of adult interest, but the well-crafted story is an informative and interesting account for personal reading or classroom units in history or environmental issues.—Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston
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About this edition

• Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0399245219
• ISBN 13: 9780399245213
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 40
• Illustrator: Talbott Hudson