THE WATERFALL

London (Ice Bear and Little Fox, 1998, etc.) describes a family’s trip into the mountains to backpack up a creek. There’s strenuous hiking through chest-deep cold water, worry-free skinny-dipping on a sunny day, a cookout under the stars, a dangerous encounter with a mountain lion, and a final feat—climbing a waterfall. Kastner’s brilliantly colored oil paintings fill every page, pulling readers into the trip to experience nature’s wonders. Together, the family does the very thing “that cannot be done”—they climb the side of a steep waterfall to its peak, rejoicing in a polished piece of driftwood to take home as a souvenir. A poetic appreciation of the beauty of nature and respect for its awesome force. (Picture book. 3-8)