A river's gifts The mighty Elwha River reborn

The Elwha River flows north through the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. and is the traditional lifeblood of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, "the Strong People." In the 1790s, Sibert Honor Book author Newman (Sea Otter Heroes, 2017) explains, colonists came, who cleared the wild plants from the riverbank and cut down the trees to make homes. Worst of all, in 1910, a dam was built on the river to create electricity---electricity not provided to the Strong People--that flooded their land and killed the salmon and other wildlife. Newman then describes unexpected change as the Strong People fought to have dams on the Elwha removed, a fight they ultimately won, and the careful process of working to safely restore the river ecosystem to its prior health. Effectively using a compelling story to illustrate the concept of rewilding, this informative, striking presentation is powerful in its hopeful account that integrates history, environmental appreciation, and explanations of the interdependence of species in a landscape and the politics necessary to save them. With inset fact boxes on the Strong People's creation myth and related themes, and with all set on a backdrop of Donovan's beautiful pen, ink, and computer-generated images of the river, its people, and its wildlife, Newman could have another award winner on her hands.

A river. A desecration. A rebirth. Writing in stirring verse, Newman explains that in what is now Washington state, the Elwha River flowed north to the sea, nourishing the salmon that came each year to lay eggs. There were enough salmon to feed the birds, the animals, and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, the Strong People, for thousands of years. But when Europeans arrived in the 1790s, they cut down ancient trees to build houses near the river and wrote laws declaring that the Strong People couldn't fish or own land. In 1890, dams for generating electricity were built, effectively destroying the river and keeping the salmon from returning. In 1940, Olympic National Park expanded its boundaries to include the dams, and the Strong People worked together to restore the lost river and its habitat. The removal of two dams--the Glines Canyon Dam and Elwha Dam--took years of perseverance and cooperation among the Strong People, the National Park Service, and scientists. It was 2011 when the dams were finally removed; several years later, the rushing river called the salmon home again. Donovan's illustrations, rendered in pencil and ink and digitally, are dynamic, with thick black outlines that pop off the page. Sidebars elaborate on elements introduced in the main text. Beautifully illustrated and informative, this story conveys the fragility of our environment and the need to protect it. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An illuminating glimpse at the Elwha River and its gifts. (author's and illustrator's notes, timeline, sources, further reading, maps, photographs) (Informational picture book. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.