Our World of Water: Children and Water Around the World Book

Our World of Water: Chidlren and Water Around the World, is an amazing picture book which emphasized the extreme importance of clean water in our daily lives. The story looks at six different children from very different parts of the world. Children will be surprised when they read about how many children have to walk far distances to fetch water, and how many children have to go great lengths to be sure that the water is clean and purified before consumption. This book covers a variety of types of environments and climates, and the conditions many families live under, including families of both high and low socioeconomic status. Therefore this book is a great way to expose children to multicultural lifestylers. It could also be used to incorporate a science lesson plan involving rain and/or water supply. This book reminds children how often water is used on a daily basis and therefore relates to the childrens daily lives. The book also covers environmental pollution and the ways people conserve freshwater resources. The end of the book book also inclues facts entitled, "What to Know About Water," which allows children to internalize factual information regarding clean water supply and usage. The author highlights the importance of water by early on in the book by stating, "We forget what a miracle water is. We forget that it supports everything that lives- humans, animals, plants; the sea, the rivers, the mountains; the atmosphere,the air." Beatrice Hollyer also uses many colorful and real images from a variety of countries which illsutraes the hardships some children may face when trying to gain access to clean water. This story is factual and enticing, and includes vital information children must be exposed to in order to develop multicultural competence.