The Day the River Caught Fire

January 1, 2023
A testament to the 1969 Cuyahoga River fire, which helped to spark Earth Day and the environmental movement. The fire itself was quickly doused and only a minor news story (the Cuyahoga, located in Cleveland, Ohio, having already, the author notes, caught fire 13 times since 1886), but thanks in part to crusading Detroit Mayor Carl Stokes--and, really, the times--it proved a tipping point in the history of environmental legislation and activism. In occasionally imprecise but vivid prose punctuated by incendiary KABOOMs, Wittenstein explains how the river became a "toxic soup of wood, metal, chemicals, oil, and even animal body parts" ripe for combustion, as were rivers in other industrial cities ("They were KABOOMING out of control!"). "People," he writes, "finally opened their ears and eyes. They were tired of holding their noses." But despite ending the main narrative with an optimistic observation that the river is clean enough today for fish to survive in it, he closes with an author's note that offers a strong reminder that pollution and climate change remain deadly challenges: "This is not a movie. This is the world we have created." Between views of prehistoric mastodons splashing in the unspoiled river and modern picnickers catching and cooking a fish (which is actually legal now), Hartland depicts racially diverse groups of firefighters, officials, marchers with signs in various languages, tourists in boats, and city dwellers in increasingly cleaned-up settings. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A lively account of a watershed event. (timeline, source notes, resource and organization lists, photo, map) (Informational picture book. 7-9)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2023
Preschool-Grade 3 In 1969, a train rumbled across a bridge above the notoriously polluted Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. Sparks fell into the layer of oily sludge of industrial and human waste floating on waters below. KABOOM! Flames shot up from river until firefighters arrived and extinguished them. Before colonization and industrialization changed the area, the Cuyahoga had been a clean river winding through unspoiled lands populated by Native people, but the river caught fire at least a dozen times since then. After the 1969 fire, Cleveland's mayor and many citizens joined others across the country who had decided to repair the environment by working for changes in laws and policies and by celebrating the first Earth Day in 1970. Noting that Cleveland was not the only American city with a flammable, polluted river, Wittenstein writes an engaging story and, in an appended note, challenges his audience to take responsibility for saving the planet. Hartland uses repeated shapes and colors to good effect in her expressive gouache paintings. An informative read-aloud picture book for Earth Day.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 3, 2023
Wittenstein supplies an eco-history of Cleveland’s Cuyahoga River and its role in launching the environmental movement, opening with the moment in 1969 when the heavily polluted river—upon which “a thick, gooey layer of sludge, oil, and sewage floated”—caught fire: “KABOOM!” Conversational storytelling and stylized gouache renderings emphasize the waterway’s condition as compared to preindustrial times, while repeated “HO-HUM”s capture the complacency contributing to the dire state of affairs. Cleveland’s mayor is depicted as pivotally taking a stand—drawing national attention to water pollution—and coverage of ensuing movement milestones builds to the story’s conservation-minded conclusion, which emphasizes the importance of empowering youth. Hartland’s thick-layered paintings visualize pollution’s gloom, and an author’s note further drives home the seriousness of today’s situation. Ages 4–8.

May 1, 2023
What kind of spark is needed to ignite a global movement? In the case of the Earth Day Movement, it was quite literally sparks from a railcar landing in the heavily polluted and quite flammable Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. "KABOOM!" While not the first time the river had caught fire, this time, as Wittenstein's enlightening text shows, residents had had enough. Spurred on by the activism of the 1960s, they demanded action to clean up the river, and by extension the planet. While young readers may take for granted the concept of environmentalism, the book does an excellent job depicting the nascent moments of the movement that led to the first Earth Day celebration, the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, and legislation such as the Clean Water Act. Hartland's playful gouache paintings shine, reflecting a child's perspective on the events and conveying their emotional significance and ramifications. Back matter consists of a detailed author's note providing additional historical details; a timeline of the environmental movement; a bibliography; and a list of resources where readers can learn more about the Cuyahoga River Fire of 1969, Earth Day, and more about protecting our planet. Eric Carpenter

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

April 28, 2023

K-Gr 4-In 1969, a passing spark ignited the sludge and pollution on the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. The river was actually on fire! While this should have been a horrifying event, the same thing had happened 13 times since 1886. Fortunately, Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes, one of the first Black mayors of a major U.S. city, knew something had to change. He and other experts and environmental activists brought attention to disasters like the Cuyahoga River Fire. Their calls for change led to the first Earth Day in 1970 as well as extensive environmental protections and regulations. The tale ends on a positive note, showing the huge strides the river has made with repopulated fish species and promising solutions such as solar power and recycling. Earth Day is now a global event taking place in almost 200 countries. The illustrations effectively convey the horror of the disgusting trash, toxic clouds, and brown slime infesting the waterway, especially as contrasted with the green grass and pristine blue water of the unspoiled waterway prior to the industrial revolution. In addition to insight into an interesting historic event, examples of onomatopoeia (plop, splash, KABOOM) make this a great volume for classroom use. Back matter includes a passionate author's note urging young people to be good stewards of the planet, a time line of environmental events from Rachel Carson's Silent Spring to 2022's record-breaking heat, and additional resources. VERDICT A timely and fascinating reminder that environmental action is necessary and can prompt remarkable recovery.-Alyssa Annico

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2023
What kind of spark is needed to ignite a global movement? In the case of the Earth Day Movement, it was quite literally sparks from a railcar landing in the heavily polluted and quite flammable Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. "KABOOM!" While not the first time the river had caught fire, this time, as Wittenstein's enlightening text shows, residents had had enough. Spurred on by the activism of the 1960s, they demanded action to clean up the river, and by extension the planet. While young readers may take for granted the concept of environmentalism, the book does an excellent job depicting the nascent moments of the movement that led to the first Earth Day celebration, the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency, and legislation such as the Clean Water Act. Hartland's playful gouache paintings shine, reflecting a child's perspective on the events and conveying their emotional significance and ramifications. Back matter consists of a detailed author's note providing additional historical details; a timeline of the environmental movement; a bibliography; and a list of resources where readers can learn more about the Cuyahoga River Fire of 1969, Earth Day, and more about protecting our planet.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)