Dancing with Water
Gwendolyn Wallace author Tonya Engel illustrator
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Penguin Young Readers
Publishing:12th Aug '25
£16.99
This title is due to be published on 12th August, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
As soon as Kit’s old enough to ride in Grandpa's truck, they begin joining him to dig wells for their community. Grandpa is magic. He can feel the weather in his bones, and he’s able to dance with water. With just a tree branch in his hand, Grandpa sways and spins over the land until he finds a spot to dig a hole into the waiting earth. When the water springs up, Grandpa and Kit jump for joy. As new hotels and factories pop up across town, clean water becomes harder to find. Sometimes, no water flows at all. Kit is sad for Grandpa - and for Earth. But one day, Grandpa senses that Kit is ready to dance with water too. Grandpa reminds Kit that the energy and strength of their people flows through the water. As they wait and watch for fresh, clear water to flow up from the ground again, Kit recognises the power shared between themself and Earth.
PRAISE FOR DANCING WITH WATER
"A powerful nugget of culture and history fits snugly into Wallace’s graceful story.
Imbued with a beauty and strength that will leave a lasting impression."
—Kirkus Reviews
“This sweet tale of intergenerational connection acknowledges the overwhelming tragedy of current climate crises and the hopelessness they can evoke, but it roots the solution in community and connection, emphasizing how grandchild and grandfather inspire each other. Fluid acrylics move across the pages in thickly layered swirls and swoops, mimicking both the smooth calm of water and the more oppressive nature of smoke and smog for a visual contrast that dramatically conveys the urgency of the moment.”
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“Wallace (Joy Takes Root) and Engel (Yaya and the Sea) effervescently detail the traditional practice of water dowsing in this conscientious picture book. … Fluid imagery recurs throughout stylized acrylic underpainting and oil glazed scenes that demonstrate the importance of water to all life, and Kit’s grandfather’s ability to engage with the natural world.”
—Publishers Weekly
ISBN: 9780593617908
Dimensions: 263mm x 263mm x 8mm
Weight: 421g
40 pages