Book excerpt: The Volga River is the longest river in Europe. It is entirely in Russia and has no natural access to any open seas. It starts in a swamp in a small ridge, flowing through prehistoric lake beds on a course that separates the mountains of the Russian Uplands from the flat European Plain before dropping below sea level to enter the inland Caspian Sea. Do you know: How big is the Kuybyshev Reservoir? How did construction of the Rybinsk Reservoir change the environment? Is the Volga River connected to any seas? Why were people jailed if they said they came from Mologa? How much caviar can one female sturgeon produce? Find out the answers to these questions and more and amaze your family and friends with these fun facts. Ages 8 and up. All measurements in American and metric. Reading Level: 6.9 Learning Island believes in the value of children practicing reading for 15 minutes every day. Our 15-Minute Books give children lots of fun, exciting choices to read, from classic stories, to mysteries, to books of knowledge. Many books are appropriate for hi-lo readers. Open the world of reading to a child by having them read for 15 minutes a day.