ReadItDaddy's First Picture Book of the Week - Week Ending 20th September 2019: "Song of the River" by Joy Cowley and Kimberley Andrews (Gecko Press)

Do you ever want to live in a book? Do you ever take a look at the page spreads in a gorgeous picture book and think "That, that's the life I want. How do I get a life like that?"

Well that's how we both felt about "Song of the River" by Joy Cowley and Kimberly Andrews.

I mean it's just breathtakingly gorgeous and as each page spread unfolds, we find ourselves slowly wanting to spend more time in places like Cam's world.

Cam is the little boy at the heart of this book, who lives in a log cabin in the wilderness.

Each day he asks his Grandfather about the sea. His Grandfather nods, listens, and says that one day they may visit it. But kids are kids, kids are impatient and Cam won't be so easily dissuaded. So one morning he gets up early, and listens to the river.

"I can take you to the sea" it bubbles. Cam dutifully follows the river's course, and along the way on his journey he meets many other helpful folk who know the way to the sea. So what happens when you finally reach a destination you've longed for, and dreamed about for so long?

We'll let you discover the answer to that question in this gorgeous book that feels as much about the discovery of the importance of our rivers as it does about the story of Cam and his quest to see the sea.

So many deft little touches in this, and if you think the cover is gorgeous you wait till you see inside.

Sum this book up in a sentence: A young boy's daydreamy quest to finally see the ocean, described beautifully in a poetic and truly gorgeously illustrated story.

"Song of the River" by Joy Cowley and Kimberly Andrews is out now, published by Gecko Press (kindly supplied for review).