(2) K-3 "Where the great river, mother Mekong, tumbles into the endless sea" is the setting for this openhearted and entertaining story of firsts. "Today is the first day," says our narrator, as he steps aboard his little boat and begins navigating the Mekong River alone for the first time. His journey takes him through high floodwaters, over crashing waves, into a dark and rainy mangrove forest; past toothy crocodilians, schools of fish, water buffalo, and more. Finally, the child reaches shore--and moves on to his next first, the first day of school. The rhapsodic but at times playful text incorporates foreshadowing of the destination ("I hear the chatter of a classroom full of animals as I move by"); careful viewers, too, will notice books and pencils in the boat. Dramatic digital illustrations add thrills. The waves are exaggeratedly huge (think Hokusai's The Great Wave), while the deep, lush greenery; the "crayon box" colors of the sky; and the underwater biome's fluid motion all convey an appreciation of nature and a child's experiences and imaginings. Maps of Vietnam and the Mekong Delta are appended, with notes telling more about the Mekong River and residents' relationship with it: "It's a roadway, a supermarket, a meeting place, and even the path to school...in our part of the world."

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021