White Water! (National Geographic Chapters Series)

by Brenna Maloney

Overview

From hippo attacks on the Okavango River to Chitina headwaters in Alaska, this chapter book is full of raging rivers and thrilling adventures. With gripping – and TRUE – stories of incredible adventures, extreme excursions, and ultimate survival, White Water! will have you on the edge of your canoe– er seat. Perfect for all readers who love an exciting, real-life, adrenaline-fueled drama.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781426328244
Publisher:	National Geographic Society
Publication date:	07/25/2017
Series:	National Geographic Chapters Series
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	112
File size:	48 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

By day, BRENNA MALONEY is an award-winning journalist. By night, she stays up late writing stories and eating entirely too many Junior Mints. She is a long-time editor for the Washington Post and National Geographic.


From the Trade Paperback edition.

Table of Contents

River of Risk 4

Chapter 1 Scouting the River 6

Chapter 2 Running the River 16

Chapter 3 Path to the Pinch 26

River Unknown 34

Chapter 1 Signs of Trouble 36

Chapter 2 Rushing Rapids 46

Chapter 3 Reading the River 56

River of Discovery 66

Chapter 1 The Long Haul 68

Chapter 2 Hippo Attack! 80

Chapter 3 Land of Plenty 90

Don't Miss! 99

Index and More Information 110

Editorial Reviews

River expeditions make for good stories, especially when they involve real danger. Each of the three expeditions narrated here involves life-or-death risks for the scientists who choose to participate. The first, “River of Risk,” follows Todd Wells as he leads his team of experienced kayakers on a 130-mile run of the turbulent glacier-fed Chitina River in Alaska. To survive, the team must navigate rapids, jagged rocks, and three-story icebergs. They must learn how to read the icy river to avoid such deadly hazards as pour-overs and hydraulic holes that could trap and drown even the most experienced kayaker. In the next story, “River Unknown,” different obstacles await a team of scientists on a mission to raft down Peru’s Marañón River and collect data about the river’s ecosystem. Unlike the icy waters of the Chitina, the rocky, fast-moving Marañón River presents the team with different challenges: to ride out the rapids, to avoid the “massive, sucking whirlpools,” and to “stay in the boat” (emphasis author’s)—or to stay alive until rescued if tossed out of it—all while successfully conducting scientific research. The third expedition, “River of Discovery,” takes place on wild, unexplored sections of the Okavango River in Angola and Botswana. This four-month research expedition follows conservation scientists who must haul their mokoros (canoes) through long sections of shallow water and mud, pull off leeches, negotiate thick tangles of roots below the water, and face attacking hippos and other dangerous animals. All three adventures are compelling reads that demonstrate the risks sometimes taken for science. Young readers will learn that investigating these dangerous and demanding waterways requires skill and quick decision-making for everyone to survive. Stories are divided into three chapters with photos throughout. Terms related to rivers and boating are well-defined within the text, and informative sidebars present topics relevant to each expedition. The combination of reasonable price and engaging, instructive text make this an excellent choice for both classroom and home use. Reviewer: Susan Glick; Ages 7 to 10.

Children's Literature - Susan Glick