The River and The Book by Alison Croggan has been endorsed by Amnesty International as a book that brings to light the issue of hugh multinational companies and the destruction they cause through mining, GM crops and pollution.
A small village starts to notice the impact a big corporation is having on their river which in turn will effect their livelihoods. It’s not until a foreigner arrives, a journalist working on a story to help bring awareness, that the villagers are exposed to the biggest betrayal of all.
This novel for young adults promotes many human rights issues and is a must read for all who care too.
So how can you link this with your older reader?
THINKING
- Read the story together or read it at the same time so you can chat about the characters and plot.
- Try to work out where the book could be set. Investigate indigenous communities who have been pushed off the land in the last ten years due to large companies. Find a map, find images and most importantly, newspaper articles that link to this destruction.
- Discuss: What is the importance of rivers?
- How are rivers like a blood vessel? How many similarities can you make?
HISTORY
- Learn about Indigenous Australian settlement. How did they use the rivers in the outback?
- Look at English settlement of Australia – how did they use the rivers to settle the land?
GEOGRAPHY
- Sewerage systems are helpful and harmful to our environment. Discuss this paradox by exploring how a sewerage system works in Sydney.Product: Create a system that enables the sewerage system to still be helpful, yet counteracts at least two of the harmful components of a current system.
- What does the term sustainable mean? How does this relate to the river system?
Despite Australia experiencing one of the greatest droughts on record, we continue to misuse water in this dry continent. Evaluate reasons as to why we continue to do this.
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Rivers are the blood vessels of our world. Examine different initiatives set up in Australia that intend to ensure that the water continues to pump through these vital vessels. HOW do these initiatives ensure a brighter future for our river systems?
