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by Peter B. Lewis (Author)
Big Water is Coming! is a richly imagined and visually striking children's book that brings to life one of the most dramatic geological events in North America: the Ice Age Floods of Glacial Lake Missoula. Drawing inspiration from decades of scientific research and personal explorations along the "Trail of the Floods," the author creates a blend of fact, legend, and storytelling that invites readers to step back fifteen thousand years into a world shared by Columbian mammoths, saber-tooth cats, short-faced bears, bison, horses, antelope, and the mighty condor.
The narrative begins with the natural inevitability of water's return to sea level. Through descriptive scenes, the breaking of an immense ice dam is set in motion - an event that unleashes a torrent of water, ice, rock, and debris. The storytelling vividly imagines what it might have been like for the animals who inhabited the valleys, plateaus, and gorges of what is now the Pacific Northwest. Readers witness the fear, scramble, and resilience of prehistoric creatures as they attempt to escape the sudden wall of water surging through basins and canyons.
Guiding the perspective is Condor, a recurring figure who soars overhead, witnessing both chaos and survival. Through Condor's watchful eyes, we see how instinct, sound, and shared stories passed down through generations of animals play a role in survival. Horses make daring climbs to the safety of Horse Heaven Hills. Bears cling to icebergs, riding the churning floodwaters through Wallula Gap toward the sea. Mammoths, antelope, and cats make desperate attempts to flee, some successful and others swept away by forces too powerful to resist.
As the waters carve new paths through the Columbia River Gorge and flood the Pasco and Portland basins, readers also gain an appreciation for how landscapes are transformed. Valleys become temporary lakes hundreds of feet deep. Rocks the size of houses are transported and dropped in new places. Soils from distant mountains are carried downstream to enrich valleys that today support forests, farms, and cities.
Interwoven with the adventure is a scientific backstory. The book acknowledges J. Harlen Bretz, the geologist who, nearly a century ago, challenged conventional thinking by suggesting that catastrophic floods shaped the "channeled scablands" of eastern Washington. His persistence and eventual vindication show young readers how science often requires imagination, patience, and courage.
The storytelling balances awe and education. Children encounter the majesty of prehistoric animals while also learning the natural principles of water, erosion, and glacial change. The prose is complemented by vivid illustrations that portray sweeping floods, dramatic skies, and animals in motion - images that invite lingering and discovery on every page.
Ultimately, Big Water is Coming! is more than a retelling of scientific theory; it is a celebration of curiosity and resilience. It connects modern readers to the deep history of the land, reminding us that the valleys, rivers, and hills we know today were once scenes of tremendous upheaval. By blending scientific wonder with imaginative storytelling, the book makes the Ice Age Floods accessible and unforgettable for children and adults alike.
Whether used in classrooms, family reading, or as a spark for outdoor exploration, this book inspires readers to see landscapes not as static backdrops but as dynamic, ever-changing forces shaped by time, water, and imagination.
