OUR WORLD OF WATER

Six children from around the world—Lucas (the mountains of Peru), Khadija (the coast of Mauritania), Dahlys (suburban Los Angeles), Saran (northern Bangladesh), Gamachu (southern Ethiopia) and Barfimoh (Tajikistan, near the Afghan border)—introduce themselves and their relationships with water in this engaging photo-essay. The simple narrative is punctuated by the children’s voices, rendered in a faux-block-printing typeface, with observations both poignant (Khadija: “If I spoil water by making it dirty, my mother will be very cross with me”) and eye-openingly mundane (Saran: “I use four mugs of water for my morning wash, and one mug in the afternoon and evening”). Four pages of general lifestyle overview for each child are followed by a two-page spread describing a “special day” that features water. While the book’s mission (a portion of the royalties goes to Oxfam) is never far from view, the message is nevertheless lightly delivered. North American readers will come away with a greater appreciation for a substance they’ve likely not thought much about and the role it plays in children’s lives across the globe. (Nonfiction. 5-10)