Visit the mighty Mississippi River as Newbery Honor recipient and New York Times bestselling author Marion Dane Bauer takes you on a tour of one of our country’s greatest natural treasures in this Level 1 Ready-to-Read. Discover the impact this mighty river has had on our country in this nonfiction Ready-to-Read! The Mississippi River starts in northern Minnesota at Lake Itasca and travels all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Along its route, people use it to ship goods and simply enjoy its splendor and beauty.