Thousands of years ago, tiny streams of melting glacial water converged to form a great river, the Mississippi. In time, masses of people flocked to its shores: Native tribes fished its waters and paddled their canoes across its flowing byways. European settlers pushed flatboats southward in search of fertile land to clear for farms and towns. Cities sprang up along its shores. Today, towboats push and pull, and ships' propellers hum, singing a song of commerce.

With rolling cadences and stunning illustrations, Diane Siebert and Greg Harlin paint a portrait of a mighty river that is the lifeblood of a nation, flowing deep, strong, and free.