Spooky Rivers: 25 Strange and Mysterious Rivers that Snake Across Our Planet

by Geo Rutherford

Rivers are Earth’s restless travelers―carving landscapes, shaping history, and holding secrets. Some are forces of destruction, sweeping away everything in their path, while others are lifelines, sustaining civilizations for millennia. And some are both, bringing prosperity and devastation in equal measure. From deadly whirlpools to lost cities submerged beneath their waves, these rivers challenge everything we think we know about the natural world. Some rivers catch fire; some boil; and some are so deep they seem bottomless. Some slither beneath the ground you stand on, while others vanish without a trace.

From Geo Rutherford, the creator of the hit series "Spooky Lake Month," comes this thrilling nonfiction picture book that follows the winding histories of twenty-five mysterious rivers around the world. Readers will explore natural phenomena, scientific oddities, historical events, and environmental disasters as well as the myths and legends tied to these waterways, which are increasingly threatened by climate change. Backed by extensive research and packed with all-new content, including eerie and eye-popping gouache illustrations in full color, Spooky Rivers takes readers on an adventure through weird and wild waters.

Genres: Nonfiction

96 pages, Hardcover

Published September 15, 2026

Reviews

[Dread]

The Solace: "Um, yes Hello..." We're back, but this time with spooky rivers. This was yet another amazing collection with incredible hand painted illustrations and hauntingly beautiful stories. I love readong these because I always learn SO much about Earth's long and short, shallow and deep, and wide and narrow waters and their natural, human-destructive, and sometimes mysterious phenomena. Geo also does so a great job at making it interesting while respectful, too.

The Dread: I think I wanted more actually - this was just so good.

Overall, this was an incredible learning filled with intriguing stories and gorgeous illustrations. Dare I say this was better than Spooky Lakes - Geo has refined her writing, art, and collection.

[Alicia]

I had read the other Spooky Lakes so I was excited to read about these rivers with the same curiosity and unique storytelling that this series gives to the subject. I was just as blown away by this one that details areas of the world that have unknown origins, that are buried beneath cities, that no one has emerged from alive, etc. It's the kind of cool book of facts that this audience LOVES and it knows it.

[Beth Knight]

Another gorgeously painted and illustrated, illuminated book on some of the weirdest and most wonderful waterways of the world and their deadly reputations.

Spooky fact: the first featured Spooky River has killed a member of my own family. 10/10 spookies.

Maintaining the same accessible but fascinating and educational content Spooky Rivers is just as brilliant as Spooky Lakes and has me jonesing for October to start for the 7th annual spooky Lakes month.

[Sarah R]

I knew I'd love it and I was right! I'm so grateful to have had the chance to get this book a little early and to get it signed when I met Geo in person at the National Book Festival. It was the highlight of my weekend and I'm so glad I have this beautiful art to share with my kids and my spooky friends

[Elizabeth]

Amazing! the artwork is gorgeous and the book is informative. It was really interesting to read about a few places I have visited.

[Kelli]

another delightful, informative, and beautifully illustrated collection of spooky hydrology~