The Day the River Caught Fire: How the Cuyahoga River Exploded and Ignited the Earth Day Movement

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. (Mar.)