Light of the River

Kawa no Hikari is a 2007 Japanese children's adventure novel written by Hisaki Matsuura and featuring illustrations by Kazuko Shimazu. It was originally serialized in the newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun between July 25, 2006 and April 23, 2007, before being released in bound format by publisher Chuokoron-Shinsha exactly one year after its periodical debut. The book was later adapted into an animated TV special by Studio Gallop, which aired on NHK General TV on June 20, 2009 as part of the network's "Save the Future" lineup, along with other environmentally-conscious programming.