The River in Your Town

by Sammie Haynes
Illustrated by Central School's 2012 Second Grade, South Berwick, Maine

A wonderful tradition . . .
      A wonderful song . . .
          Now a wonderful book!

Sammie Haynes is a children's songwriter, performer and teacher and a resident of South Berwick, Maine. Her song, "The River in Your Town," has long been a favorite at Central School. We sing it in the classrooms, hum it in the hallways and belt it out each year as the opening for our "Hike through History." Our dream of making it into a songbook that depicted the river in our own town came true when we were granted funds from the South Berwick Strawberry Festival.

In 2012, Central School's second graders used bits of upcycled fabric to bring the words of the song to life in collages. These images reflect a collaborative effort with each student contributing a piece that exemplifies their personality and love of their community. Many thanks to Sammie Haynes, the Strawberry Festival Committee,v Central School's second grade class of 2012, Deidre Randall and Peter E. Randall Publisher and the Maine School Administrative District #35 for making this project a reality!

For More Information

"The River in Your Town" was recorded by Sammie on her album, "Nature's ABC's." For more info on that recording and other award-winning recordings for children from A Gentle Wind please visit www.gentlewind.com. Here's a free link to download "The River in Your Town" by Sammie Haynes: www.gentlewind.com/river For more information about Sammie Haynes please visit: www.treetopsmusic.com