CONTENT:
We Are Water Protectors (2020) was written by Carole Linsdtrom and it was illustrated by Michaela Goade. The picturebook tells the story of a Native American girl who decides to take action in order to protect water. The girl tells people about the importance of water, both for human beings and for all the plants and the other creatures that inhabit the Earth. In the illustrations of this picturebook, a big black monster represents the damages caused to nature by human actions. The girl empowers people to fight the monster in order to protect water and the environment.
WHY USING THIS PICTURBOOK:
This picturebook offers the possibility to discuss with children the importance of water as an essential element for life on Earth and about the consequences of human negative habits such as polluting and wasting water. The story is a starting point to reflect with children on the actions to take in order to avoid wasting or polluting water. The comprehension of the written text is supported by the illustrations that represent (sometimes in a symmetrical way, sometimes in a more metaphoric relation) what is being told. The images represent and expand on the content of the written text, helping children understand key sequences. There are very evocative images that represent the connection between humans and water, for example the girl’s hair become an ocean rich of plants and marine creatures. Throughout the picturebook the expression “We stand / With our songs / And our dreams / We are still here” (Lindstrom and Goade, 2020) is repeated many times as a short poem creating expectation and giving rhythm to the narrative.
