Copyright Date:
2017
Edition Date:
2017
Release Date:
04/21/17
Illustrator:
Frischeteau, Gerard,
Pages:
1 volume (unpaged)
ISBN:
1-7727-8015-4
ISBN 13:
978-1-7727-8015-4
Dewey:
553.7
Dimensions:
25 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews
Twelve children from different areas of the world offer lyrical reflections on what water means to them.To Delaunois' fictive cast water invariably sparks positive feelings—even for a Catalan lad watching his village being flooded by a dam "for the sake of new power, / the reservoir that holds the energy to light up distant cities. / For me," he concludes, "water is the night that blazes like day." It is valued in places where it is a scarce resource too: to a Moroccan desert child water is "a cup of mint tea," and it's "an outstretched hand" from a tank truck for a child in drought-stricken Mauretania. Though the specific locale of each young speaker is keyed only by a watermarked version of "Water is life" embedded in the illustration that is translated into his or her script and language (identified in a list at the end), Frischeteau varies the skin color and, albeit in an idealized way, facial features of his human figures. He also often adds characteristic wildlife, national dress, or other cues to each locale. Following an unborn child's "For me, water is the song of my mother: / the ocean of her belly where I am transforming myself," the author concludes that "for all of us, water is a matter of life." A tribute to the essential substance, washed free of preachiness or even faintly cautionary messages. (Picture book. 6-8)
Bibliography Index/Note:
Includes bibliographical references.
Twelve children from around the world describe how water appears in their environment, and what it means to them. Their differing experiences are united by the phrase "water is life," translated into each of their languages. Around the world, water appears in many forms: a snowflake, an oasis, the stream from a faucet, monsoon rain. In Water's Children , twelve young people describe what water means to them. The descriptions are as varied as the landscapes the speakers inhabit, but each of them also expresses, in their own language, a universal truth: Water is life. Accompanied by the glowing illustrations of Gérard Frischeteau, Water's Children is a celebration of our world's most precious resource and will encourage thoughtful discussion among young readers and listeners. The narrators' words, lyrically written by Angèle Delaunois, offer emotional and sensory details that bring their experiences to life. On the final page, a guide identifies the languages in which the phrase "water is life" appears in water marks on each spread throughout the book, with thanks to the individuals who provided the translations, helping to craft this truly global story. Originally published in French and nominated for the prestigious TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, Water's Children has now been translated into six languages in eight countries around the world.
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