Book cover titled 'Song of the River' by Joy Cowley and Kimberly Andrews featuring a mountainous landscape with snow-capped peaks, a river winding through green forests, a small wooden cabin with a red roof and a child playing outside.

Song of the River

Gecko Press, 1st July 2019  |  Pencil, photoshop
​Written by Joy Cowley, illustrations by Kimberly Andrews
​
In this resonant story from Joy Cowley, Cam the mountain boy follows the river from its trickling source in the snow all the way to the sea. The river leads him through forest, farms and towns to the salty wind of the sea. The dramatic landscapes are packed with detail to discover in the world of the river.

Song of the River Song of the River Song of the River
Song of the River
$19.99

Written by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Kimberly Andrews

In this quintessential Joy Cowley story, Cam follows the river’s journey from its source in the mountains all the way to the sea.

Cam the mountain boy follows the river from its trickling source in the snow all the way to the sea. The river leads him through forest, farms and towns to the salty wind of the sea. The dramatic landscapes are packed with detail to discover in the world of the river.

Paperback, 32 Pages

Illustrated farm scene with a winding river, farm animals, buildings, a clock tower, a windmill, roads, trees, and a small boat, with text describing a countryside setting.
A boy wearing a yellow hat and red shirt walking on a trail beside a creek in a forest with tall pine trees, deer, and birds, and rocks in the background.
A child walking on a fallen tree in a snowy forest with trees and animals in the background, and a stream flowing through the scene. There is a quote at the bottom of the image.
An illustrated mountain scene with two children and an older man walking down stone steps near a yellow cabin with red shutters, snow-capped mountains in the background, and trees and flowers in the foreground.
A watercolor illustration depicts a girl with a yellow hat and red dress sitting by a river, surrounded by green and yellow frogs on rocks and in water, with sunlight streaming through the scene. The accompanying text reads: "The river sang in the vo

  • SHORTLISTED - Russell Clark Award for Illustration 2020 - NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

  • Storylines Notable Picture Book Award 2019

  • Named as a Best Children's Books of the Year - Bank Street College of Education List 2020 

Awards & Recognition

“A lovely homage to nature. Andrews’ diverse landscapes are solidly composed, shifting angles but maintaining an earthy, muted palette.”
— Kirkus reviews – August 13, 2019

A child from the mountains follows a trickle of water that leads to a creek, then a river, and finally to the sea. Unusual, mysterious illustrations.

— Bank Street Best Books list - 2020

This book is ripe with teaching potential but also a pure pleasure to read, in both language and image.

— AKO – August 7, 2019

Cowley’s beautiful, melodic story – brimming with atmosphere and descriptive power – is exquisitely brought to life by illustrator Kimberly Andrews’ dramatic evocation of a wonderfully contrasting North American landscape full of rich detail and muted, earth-toned colours.

— Lancashire Post – July 26, 2019

"A lovely homage to nature. Andrews' diverse landscapes are solidly composed, shifting angles but maintaining an earthy, muted palette."

— Kirkus reviews  – August 13, 2019

​With graceful, rhyming poetry, Cowley articulates the connectedness of nature, while Andrews renders the rush and earnestness of the boy’s journey through striated light, city smoke, and the broad, blue sea.

— Publishers Weekly – August 19, 2019

The dramatic illustrations by Kimberly Andrews are packed with detail, encouraging readers to explore the world of the river and the land surrounding it.

— Parents in Touch – July 26, 2019

A new edition of a classic has been re-created for a new generation.

— The Source – November 18, 2019

We are treated to great vistas and detailed close-ups throughout the course of the day (perfectly pitched by the artist Kimberly Andrews) and Joy Cowley’s text is playfully poetic, climaxing with the dreamy journey-ending song of the sea, with a bonus point for what must be one of the most beautiful final lines ever gifted to a picture book. It took my breath away.

— North Scotland Newspapers – July 26, 2019

A perfect choice for young naturalists and budding scientists interested in the water cycle.

— School Library Journal – July 30, 2019

Cowley neatly modulates Cam’s adventure, sentences that build and accrete like that rivulet taking readers on the journey. A lovely homage to nature.

— Kirkus Reviews – June 27, 2019

An awe-inspiring tribute to the natural world and to storytelling itself.

— Red Reading Hub – July 16, 2019

Andrews perfectly captures the gentleness of the story, with muted, natural colourings and strong detail.

— NZ Book Lovers – June 27, 2019

Cowley neatly modulates Cam’s adventure, sentences that build and accrete like that rivulet taking readers on the journey. A lovely homage to nature.

— Kirkus Reviews – June 27, 2019

Beautifully written, with earthy coloured illustrations, this book provides the story of many rivers and their journey to the sea.

— Book Trailers 4 Kids and YA – June 27, 2019

Andrews perfectly captures the gentleness of the story, with muted, natural colourings and strong detail.

— NZ Book Lovers – June 27, 2019