Song of the River by Gill Lewis

Author:Gill Lewis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barrington Stoke Ltd
Published: 2022-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

Beavers cut down trees with their sharp teeth and make dams. They create wetlands for other important wildlife. The dams trap sediment, improving water quality, and reduce the risk of flooding downstream. The rivers become healthier. Healthy rivers mean more fish too.

“We need to write about why beavers went extinct in this country,” I say.

Beside me, Alfie looks at the screen. “It says people hunted them for fur.”

I read on. “It wasn’t just for fur,” I say. “It says they release an oil from glands near their bottoms that’s used to make perfumes.”

“That’s gross,” says Alfie. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope,” I say. “The oil is called castoreum. It’s still put into some perfumes today. It’s even used in foods like vanilla ice cream.”

“Ugh!” says Alfie. “Beaver bum juice! I’m not eating ice cream again.” He takes his pencil and draws an arrow to the beaver’s bottom. Alfie writes: Beaver bum juice – used for perfume and ice cream.

I find myself laughing out loud and then suddenly realise I haven’t laughed like this for a long, long time.

I take another piece of paper. “We need to write about how beavers change rivers,” I say.

Alfie looks at the long article on the computer screen. “Can’t I draw it?” he says. “I don’t want to write it all out.”

“How do we draw it?” I say.

“Simple,” says Alfie. “We’ll draw two landscapes: one without beavers and another with beavers.”

“Brilliant!” I say. And it is a brilliant idea. We have to show what a valley with beavers could look like so we can get people to agree that beavers are a good thing.

In the first picture Alfie draws hills and a fast‑flowing river and a flooded village. For more impact I add people being washed away too, with their arms in the air calling for help.

In the second picture Alfie draws the same hills, but now with beavers and their dams. He draws ponds and wide pools. I add wildlife, drawing a heron, some toads and dragonflies. I add flowers like marsh marigolds.

Alfie’s mum comes into the room. “There you are, Alfie,” she says. “You were so quiet I thought you were up to no good.”

“We’re doing homework,” says Alfie.

His mum’s eyebrows shoot up with surprise. “Well, I don’t want to stop you, but we’re opening the bar in fifteen minutes.”

“It’s OK,” I say. “We’re almost done.”

Alfie’s mum smiles. “Would you like to eat some lasagne and chips with Alfie?” she asks me.

“Yes, please,” I say.

We’re finishing our supper when Mum comes down from our room.

Mum turns to Alfie’s mum and says, “You must let me know how much I owe you for Cari’s meal.”

Alfie’s mum smiles. “No need,” she says. “Cari can have double helpings if it means Alfie will do his homework.”

Mum looks at our drawings. “These are really good,” she says. “It’s hard to imagine beavers could change the landscape so much.”

Alfie’s mum looks closely at them too. “Imagine if beavers really could stop the flooding. We’ve been flooded several times and it’s happening more often too.

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