"There's even water in the air you
breathe ... and in the steam rising
from your mug of hot cocoa.
There's water in every plant and
animal, including you. Because
people are animals, too. There's
so much water all around you
that from space, Earth looks blue."
If you have been watching the TV coverage of the moon mission of Artemis II and are seeing the photos being shared by the flight crew, you will know just how blue Earth looks from space. It is an amazing and beautiful sight.
In her book One Well (2007), Ms. Strauss spoke to her readers about Earth being the only planet that has liquid water and that is why life is supported here. She helped each of us realize we had the power to conserve and protect that global well. Here we are almost 20 years later and our Earth is in a more precarious state. In this book, that is also a part of the Citizen Kid series from Kids Can, she adapts the message from that book as a reminder to readers today that our planet's water is all the water we have.
In double-page spreads, accompanied by colorful and contextual digital art created by Madelyn Goodnight, her message remains clear that water is essential to life for all throughout the world today. She encourages young readers to look to all places and parts of their lives where water exists ... even when they cannot see it. In ponds and lakes, running underground below their feet, in every season, and across the world, water is moving constantly and that same water is used by people around the world every single day. The amount of water we have has been the same since the time of the dinosaurs. It's pretty awesome to think that we may 'sipping' the same water dinosaurs 'slurped' so long ago.
Our survival depends on water ... all living things are the same. That water is not all the same; some is salty and some is fresh. As more and more people populate Earth, more fresh water is used than ever before in Earth's history. Today, not all that water is clean. Some is dangerous to drink; some is scarce. Together, we can help to protect our water. People around the world are working hard to ensure clean water for all. Thanks to all those conservationists who make a difference every day.
Back matter includes an explanatory author's note that discusses the importance of water, the water cycle, and ways to protect water by learning more aobut it. A Let's Talk column offers questions to consider, alongside a description of the Citizen Kid series. The final page provides a list of books and websites for additional learning.
It's a serious message, made accessible to its target audience because of its very positive presentation.
"Because no matter where it's found, and no matter what form it takes, all the water on Earth is ... all the water on Earth."
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