School Library Journal Starred Review (Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

PreS-Gr 2This poem, set in the first person, explores the water cycle from the perspective of "Agüita" or "Little Water," the preferred nickname of water. Little Water explains to readers how they (water drops) rise from the depths of the ocean and travel through "light and darkness" to rest "on the tips of leaves," to become a part of the atmosphere, and, eventually, to return to Earth as rain. Argueta captures the fleeting, indescribable nature of water: "I am all colors/and have no color./I am all flavors/and have no flavor." At the end of the cycle, Little Water returns singing to Earth: "I am life." Alcántara's vibrant stylized illustrations are especially effective in portraying the myriad forms, colors, and textures that water can take ondrops glistening on leaves; a blue-and-white river rolling forth from a mountain; and a purple, orange, and red ocean at sunset. Ventura's Spanish translation expertly replicates the rhythm of the English text. A Nahuat translation is included at the end of the book. VERDICT A lyrical journey though the water cycle, sure to inspire the imaginations of young readers and listeners. Pair with Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm's Rivers of Sunlight: How the Sun Moves Water Around the Earth.Tim Wadham, Children's Literature Consultant, Puyallup, WA

ALA Booklist (Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2018)

Agüita is a water droplet that takes the reader on a journey of its life cycle: "I am born deep in / our Mother Earth. / From there I come singing / I am a tiny drop.'" From its beginnings in the ocean and on the petals of plants, it lands into the rivers, lakes, and ponds it lives in, displaying how it nourishes and brings life to all living creatures. Agüita, it becomes clear, is everywhere and all around us, and is a thing of enigmatic contradictions. The book is written in both Spanish and English, with a clear separation between the two: Spanish is on top and English on the bottom. Each left-hand page features a small depiction of Agüita in one of various abstract forms, while each right-hand page is taken up by a beautiful landscape painted in vibrant blues, pastel greens, and bright reds. Argueta, part of the Pipil-Nahua people, concludes gracefully, "I am Little Water. / I am life," before offering a two-page Nahuat (the Pipil-Nahua language) text version of the story.

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

Poet Argueta has created a trilingual homage to the importance of water for life. His free verse poem highlights the water cycle from water's perspective beside Alcantara's verdant gouache paintings with fluid and rounded forms. Each spread includes a stanza in Spanish and English; a Nahuat translation (the language of Argueta's native Pipil-Nahua Indians of El Salvador) of the entire poem is appended.

Kirkus Reviews

In this bilingual (Spanish/English) book the poet reminds readers that water is life."My name / is Water / but everyone / calls me ‘Little Water.' " So begins this poem written in free verse about water. Little Water tells about being born in Mother Earth; climbing to the surface, entangling in roots, and climbing along rocks; resting on leaves, spider webs, and flower petals when it reaches the surface. Drop by drop Little Water becomes a river, a lake, and an ocean, eventually climbing to the sky. When Little Water becomes a cloud, drop by drop it returns to Mother Earth. "I am Little Water / I am life." concludes the poem. Mixed-media full-page illustrations accompany the text, giving visual focus to Little Water's cycle of life. Forms are appropriately rounded, with repeating patterns that emulate ripples and waves even when depicting plants and landscapes. At the end of the book readers will find the poem written in Nahuat, the language of the Pipil-Nahua people of El Salvador in Central America. Argueta himself is a Pipil-Nahua, a people not many children in the United States may be aware of. Hopefully this poem will spark conversations not only about water, its cycle, and life-giving importance, but also about the different cultures in our hemisphere. (Poetry. 5-10)