Sometimes I Feel Like a River
About this ebook
In each of twelve short poems, a child tells us how or why they feel like the sun, a river, a mountain, a cloud, the rain, a forest and more. Their deeply felt connections and identification with these wonders point to how much we are all part of the natural world. Each poem comes to life through vivid, playful illustrations that show the children immersed in their surroundings. The book serves as a gentle call to action — to notice, appreciate, preserve and protect our environment, while delighting in all its beauty.
A mindfulness activity — A Mindful Walk or Roll — invites young readers to use their senses to experience their surroundings to the fullest. Includes a brief author’s note that highlights our connections to the natural world.
Key Text Features
author’s note
illustrations
poems
procedural text
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.5
Recognize common types of texts (e.g., storybooks, poems).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.2
Retell stories, including key details, and demonstrate understanding of their central message or lesson.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or appeal to the senses.
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About the author
DANIELLE DANIEL is an award-winning author and illustrator of ten books, writing across genres for readers of all ages. She was a finalist for the 2024 Governor General’s Literary Awards for her picture book I’m Afraid, Said the Leaf, illustrated by Matt James. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and lives on Manitoulin Island among a large family of cedars, a husk of hares and a fifty-year-old Blanding’s turtle who visits quite regularly.
JOSÉE BISAILLON has illustrated more than forty picture books, and she has been nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award four times. The Snow Knows by Jennifer McGrath won the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and was a finalist for the Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration. Josée has also illustrated Martin and the River by Jon-Erik Lappano and Out into the Big Wide Lake by Paul Harbridge. She lives with her family near Montreal, Quebec.
