Pajama Press

“Gérard Frischeteau’s vibrant, digitally rendered illustrations aptly portray the landscapes and components of daily life in each country visited. Of added interest is the inclusion of the phrase ‘water is life,’ which has been translated into each child’s language and script and placed within watermarks on each two-page spread. Even the swirls depicting water in this publications endpapers serve as a palpable reminder about the necessity to protect and conserve this fragile resource throughout the world.”
—Senta Ross

Read the full review on page 33 of the Winter 2017 issue of Canadian Children’s BookNews

“The poetic text is accompanied by expressive artwork that examines the importance of water throughout the world.”

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“This quietly engaging picture book depicts how different children around the world feel about water through the lens of what it means to their communities. The illustrations are lovely and add a bit of cultural flavor as the reader travels throughout the world….This book is a worthwhile addition to collections where there is a need for materials on a global perspective—especially on the role of water—or where primary classrooms study water and the water cycle.”
—Melinda W. Miller, PK-12 Library Media Specialist, Colton-Pierrepont Central School, Colton, New York

Read the full review in the November/December 2017 issue of School Library Connection

“Water’s Children…is a luscious picture book that celebrates the many ways water is universal to us all. Water is life – and play – and food – and beauty:

“… child of water … tell me about the water your see, the water you drink, the water that bathes you.”

Water’s Children does just that in rich colors and cerulean images of earth, sky, and sea, children from a diversity of countries around the world show us the unique importance and the joy of water in their lives….”

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“Accompanied by the glowing illustrations of Gerard Frischeteau, Water’s Children by Angele Delaunois (and ably translated into English by Erin Woods) is a celebration of our world’s most precious resource and will encourage thoughtful discussion among young readers and listeners. A unique and memorable picture book…Unreservedly and enthusiastically recommended for children ages 4 to 8, Water’s Children will prove to be an enduringly popular and appreciated addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections.”

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“Responsible stewardship is written between the lines of Water’s Children, a picture book that offers a snapshot of what water means to different children around the world….Translated from French, the simple text is beautifully illustrated by Gérard Frischeteau. The author and illustrator seamlessly show that water is, indeed, life.”

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“Rating: 4…

What did you like about the book? Each page of this book features a child or children in a different part of the world expressing what water means to him or her. There are warm climate settings, cold climate settings, town, farm, forest and desert settings. There is a balance of boys and girls depicted. Most are interacting with the water (or its products). Each page also shows how to write ‘water is life’ in the language the child would speak in that region….[A] perfect set-up for a discussion during story time, a writing activity for older elementary students, a thoughtful art activity for children of any age.

The text itself is poetic and dreamy. On repeated readings, it is almost a lullaby and could become a bedtime story.

There are different colors and moods on every page. On some, the children look happy. Some are playing and some are working. Some pages are gloomy. Young readers will understand, through the text and illustrations, that some children struggle to get the water they need to drink and produce food….

Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Due to this year’s summer reading theme and the fact that drought, fracking, water access and water rights are so much in the news, yes.”
—Robin Shtulman, Athol Public Library, Athol, MA

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“We rated this book: [5/5]

Water’s Children: Celebrating the Resource that Unites us All is a fantastic book that shows how children around the world see water….

I really liked Water’s Children. It made me think about how lucky I am to have water whenever I want. A few years ago in Texas, we were in a drought and couldn’t water our lawns and the lake was really low, but it was not as hard to get water as in other places in the world. I loved flipping to the back of the book and seeing where each child was from and what language ‘Water is Life’ was translated into. This was my favorite thing about the book. The illustrations were fantastic and gave me a good idea what it was like for the children living in the different parts of the world. I think Water’s Children would be a great book to read on Earth Day.”
—Jewel – Age 9

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“…Quebec author, visual artist and publisher Angèle Delaunois takes the reader across the world to witness the importance of water to the children of different countries….Canada is represented by two spreads, one from Quebec and one from Nunavut, both which speak in terms of what is most familiar to young Canadian readers….

While other texts and illustrations will be familiar or at least obvious such as the Russian child of a fishing village and the rain experienced by an urban child in Germany, many spreads will rouse thoughtful discussions of unfamiliar depictions of water….

The artwork of Montreal animator, graphic artist and illustrator Gérard Frischeteau rings with authenticity, depicting each global child in both personal and expansive landscapes, often providing details about daily life and family….

In fact, ‘Water is Life’ is a special touch in Water’s Children. On watermarks adorning each spread, the term ‘water is life’ is translated into a corresponding language, including French, Inuktitut, Catalan, German, Portuguese, Tamil, Arabic and Wolof with a final listing of all regions and languages represented in the book.

I know I’ve listed the reading audience as 4 to 8 years of age but don’t follow that. Water’s Children’s audience should read “All ages” or “Everyone” because it is an extraordinarily inspirational examination of the importance of water throughout the world. You can save it for World Water Day (March 22) but I recommend it for this weekend’s Earth Day (April 22) and anytime meaningful attention be paid to a global resource i.e., always.”

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“[A] unique title that explores the vital importance of water…Written in poetic form, each two-page spread features a child from a different country who was invited by the author to share what water means to them in their life and surroundings. Each does so in their own language, and their (translated) answers are inspiring….The illustrations are gorgeous and tailored to represent a familiar depiction of each of the twelve narrators’ homeland….

This title is suitable for older toddlers through to primary school students and would be a wonderful addition to a personal, school, or public library collection. It reads like a crossover between a picture book, poetry, and a non-fiction title. Highly recommended.”

Thematic Links: Water; Conservation; Cultural Diversity
—Erin Hansen

Read the full review on page 14 of the April 2017 issue of Resource Links