Publishers Weekly
02/22/2021
Through the story of a fictional Diné boy named Cody, McGinty introduces Darlene Arviso, known as the Water Lady, who delivers water to Navajo Nation families that do not have running water (40%, per an author’s note). Waking to discover that his mother has used the last of the family’s water supply, Cody worries about their farm animals and himself: “the sun will blaze from the sky, another scorching day in the high desert. And he is thirsty.” As Cody’s grandmother relays to him the story of the Water Sprinkler, “the Navajo God of Water who collects water in a jar and sprinkles it” in all directions, Arviso finishes her job driving a school bus, then visits a water tower to fill a tanker truck with 3,000 gallons before steering to Cody’s home, and to others’. Navajo artist Begay’s vibrant ink and watercolor art brings a stirring emotional undercurrent to this community-oriented narrative. An author’s note discusses the story’s origins in a ride McGinty took with Arviso, who contributes a note of her own. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)
From the Publisher
Praise for The Water Lady:
“This quiet yet touching story will open young readers’ eyes in a multitude of ways.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“McGinty’s storytelling, peppered with Navajo phrases and cultural cues, provides a balanced view of this life and through Cody’s perspective, just enough suspense.” —School Library Journal, starred review
"[An] illuminating story about a contemporary child’s experience with water insecurity, set in the Navajo Nation.” —The Horn Book
“Navajo artist Begay’s vibrant ink and watercolor art brings a stirring emotional undercurrent to this community-oriented narrative.” —Publishers Weekly
Praise for Alice McGinty's The Girl Who Named Pluto:
"An inspiring and beautifully illustrated tale made all the better by its historical foundation." —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
School Library Journal
★ 06/25/2021
Gr 1–4—Cody, a Navajo boy, wakes up thirsty, and there is no water in the kitchen, where his mother has just made oatmeal, or in any of the big blue containers outside his home. There is no water for him, or the horses, or the chickens. A few miles down the road, Darlene Arviso's trailer does have running water, but other Navajo people do not. "Many families on the reservation do not—no gushing showers, no flushing toilets, no flowing sinks." Darlene fills the tank of her large yellow truck with 3,000 gallons of water to deliver to 10 families that day, and one of them is Cody's. She repeats this every day just as her ancestors helped their neighbors. There is no child listening who will not feel just as thirsty as Cody and be just as relieved when Darlene's truck rolls into sight. McGinty's storytelling, peppered with Navajo phrases and cultural cues, provides a balanced view of this life and through Cody's perspective, just enough suspense. An author's note rounds out the discussion and explains Darlene's role not only as the Water Lady, but as bearer of news, social connections, and other threads of community life. Begay's watercolors show a parched landscape full of desert beauty, but also the concern on thirsty Cody's face, and his mother's knowing smile that all will be right. VERDICT With more resources at the back, this is a must-have for every collection and a sure path to children wanting to know more about water management in the Navajo Nation and elsewhere.—Kimberly Olson Fakih, School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2021-02-09
An elegant reminder that water is central to life.
Set on the sprawling Diné reservation, this beautifully illustrated picture book will educate young readers about the beauty and rigors of life on the high-desert plateau. Young Cody wakes up thirsty, but the cup near his bed is empty, as is the water bucket his mother relies on in the kitchen. His older siblings head off to catch the school bus, and Cody runs to check on the water barrels outside. It’s a scorching hot day. The land is dry. The horses, chickens, and dogs are thirsty, too. But Cody’s family, like many families on his reservation, do not have running water, and they must wait for the water lady, Darlene, to replenish their stores. Begay’s watercolors capture the mauve and pink hues of the juniper and piñon arroyos, bespeaking his #ownvoices knowledge of Navajo Nation. The velvet dresses, turquoise jewelry, and artwork on walls reveal a sovereign people with ancient ties to the land. With lyrical language and friendly faces emerging on each page, it is the image of the water lady, moving from her job driving a yellow school bus to her job driving a yellow water truck, that will stick in the minds of readers, revealing the conservationists’ spirit that still pervades in a simple Diné lifestyle. An author’s note addresses the fight for wells and more readily available water; it’s followed by a note from Darlene Arviso herself. A list of sources and a well-placed glossary seal the deal. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 39.3% of actual size.)
This quiet yet touching story will open young readers’ eyes in a multitude of ways. (author's note, sources, glossary) (Picture book. 5-10)
