We Are Water Protectors: (Caldecott Medal Winner)

by Carole Lindstrom, Michaela Goade (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

In an appropriately forceful and inspirational call to action, Carole Lindstrom’s lyrical picture book about defending Earth’s natural resources is a must-read regardless of age. Inspired by Indigenous-led movements across the United States, and particularly the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, Lindstrom’s powerful words are matched with Michaela Goade’s stunning illustrations to create a reading experience that will resonate for years to come.

From author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade comes a New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Medal winning picture book that honors Indigenous-led movements across the world. Powerfully written and gorgeously illustrated, We Are Water Protectors, issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth’s water from harm and curruption—inviting young readers everywhere to join the fight.

Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .

When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people’s water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth’s most sacred resource.

The fight continues with Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior, the must-read companion book to We Are Water Protectors. Written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Bridget George, it tells the story of real-life water protectors, Autumn Peltier and her great-aunt Josephine Mandamin, two Indigenous Rights Activists who have inspired a tidal wave of change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250780997
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	03/17/2020
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
File size:	71 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Carole Lindstrom is Anishinabe/Métis and is a proud member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe Indians. She was born and raised in Nebraska and currently makes her home in Maryland. She is the author of We Are Water Protectors and Girls Dance, Boys Fiddle. carolelindstrom.com

Michaela Goade is a Caldecotte Medal-winning illustrator and graphic designer living and working in Juneau, Alaska, where she was also raised. Forever inspired by the coastal wilds of Southeast Alaska, she works to capture its magic and honor its vibrant cultures. Michaela is from the Raven moiety and Kiks.ádi Clan from Sitka, Alaska. She is the illustrator of We Are Water Protectors, I Sang You Down from the Moon, Encounter, and Raven&the Tide Lady. michaelagoade.com

Carole Lindstrom is the author of the New York Times bestselling and Caldecott Award-winning We Are Water Protectors. She is Anishinaabe/Métis and is a proud member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe Indians. She was born and raised in Nebraska and currently makes her home in Maryland.
Michaela Goade is a Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator (We Are Water Protectors) and graphic designer living and working in Juneau, Alaska, where she was also raised. Her childhood was spent in the forests and on the beaches of Southeast Alaska and her artistic style is rooted in the depth and beauty of its landscapes. Forever inspired by the coastal wilds of Southeast Alaska, she works to capture its magic and honor its vibrant cultures. Michaela is from the Raven moiety and Kiks.ádi Clan from Sitka, Alaska.

Editorial Reviews

…powerful…Goade's illustrations combine a mystical mood with the lovely fierceness of a child seeking justice.

The New York Times Book Review - Maria Russo

★ 01/13/2020

Metis/Ojibwe author Lindstrom (Girls Dance, Boys Fiddle) honors those who fight to protect the Earth’s fresh water. The words are spoken by a child who’s shown first with her grandmother: “Water is the first medicine.... Water is sacred,” the white-haired woman tells her. Bold strokes of light, limpid color wash across layered spreads by Tlingit and Haida artist Goade (Encounter). The girl tells of the arrival of an oil pipeline, the “black snake” that will “spoil the water./ Poison plants and animals./ Wreck everything in its path.” The half-bleached figures of a bird and a fish lie next to the pipeline leaking black sludge. “The plants, trees, rivers, lakes...”—Goade pulls back to view the Earth from space studded with stars—“We are all related.” Observation is not enough, the book communicates: action is necessary. And the girl doesn’t just participate in protest; she stands at the front, carrying a feather in one hand, as other protestors answer her call. “We are water protectors. WE STAND!” An author’s note traces the story’s genesis to the 2016 Standing Rock protests in the Dakotas. A passionate call for environmental stewardship. Ages 3–6. Author’s agent: Kathleen Rushall, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Productions. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

Caldecott Medal Winner
Jane Addams Children's Book Award Winner
Kirkus Prize Finalist
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A NYPL Best Book of the Year
A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A NPR Best Book of the Year

"Powerful....Goade’s illustrations combine a mystical mood with the lovely fierceness of a child seeking justice." —The New York Times

*"This book will both educate and inspire youth." —School Library Journal

*"In this tribute to Native resilience, Indigenous author-and-illustrator team Lindstrom and Goade invite readers to stand up for environmental justice. An inspiring call to action for all who care about our interconnected planet."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

*"Goade’s watercolor illustrations fill the spreads with streaming ribbons of water, cosmic backdrops, and lush natural landscapes.... Lindstrom’s spare, poetic text flows with the “river’s rhythm." Written in response to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, famously protested by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe—and others—these pages carry grief, but it is overshadowed by hope in what is an unapologetic call to action." —Booklist, starred review

*"Observation is not enough, the book communicates: action is necessary... A passionate call for environmental stewardship." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

*"A gorgeous and empowering picture book with an urgent environmental plea." — BookPage,
starred review

"Flowing words by Carole Lindstrom and lush art by Michaela Goade appear in immaculate synchronicity on every page of We Are Water Protectors."—Shelf Awareness

"...beautifully composed." —Horn Book

"This book celebrates indigenous-led movements to protect our planet's water. With gorgeous illustrations, it gives readers a sense of our connectivity." —Romper.com

From the Publisher

★ 04/01/2020

K-Gr 3—From swirling, detailed watercolor illustrations to lyrical text with the refrain, "We stand with our songs and our drums. We are still here," this title explores the Indigenous fight to protect water from pollution. A young Anishinaabe girl explains the prophecy of the black snake "that will destroy the land. Spoil the water. Poison plants and animals. Wreck everything in its path." The unnamed girl calls for action to protect all living things and "fight for those who cannot fight for themselves." The illustrations use rich colors and shading to show the intricate connection among all living creatures. A broken pipeline leaks into blue waters, turning fish and fowl into skeletons. Ghosts of ancestors surround children as an elder tells them the black snake prophecy. Black pipelines form the body of the snake on a red background, its mouth open and ready to strike. The author and illustrator notes focus on the need to protect water, and explain events at Standing Rock, where tribal members and their allies fought against an oil pipeline. A glossary of terms is provided, and the last page has an "Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge" for readers to sign. VERDICT An accessible introduction to environmental issues combined with beautiful illustrations, this book will both educate and inspire youth. First purchase for all libraries.—Tamara Saarinen, Pierce County Library, WA

School Library Journal

In a compelling audiovisual production of their Caldecott Medal-winning picture book, the Indigenous author/narrator and illustrator team of Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade encourage young listeners to become stewards of the Earth. “Water is sacred.” An Indigenous child takes her grandmother’s words to heart as she boldly encounters the “black snake” that threatens her community’s water resources and fragile connections with nature. A captivating musical score and natural sound effects such as flowing water complement Lindstrom’s narration. Pauses for page-turns allow listeners time to admire Goade’s stunning illustrations. However, significantly more time is needed to appreciate these magical watercolors fully. The artwork provides an essential visual context for the narrative, dramatically enhancing the overall experience. Back matter includes author and illustrator notes and the Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge. S.A.A. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2021 - AudioFile

In a compelling audiovisual production of their Caldecott Medal-winning picture book, the Indigenous author/narrator and illustrator team of Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade encourage young listeners to become stewards of the Earth. “Water is sacred.” An Indigenous child takes her grandmother’s words to heart as she boldly encounters the “black snake” that threatens her community’s water resources and fragile connections with nature. A captivating musical score and natural sound effects such as flowing water complement Lindstrom’s narration. Pauses for page-turns allow listeners time to admire Goade’s stunning illustrations. However, significantly more time is needed to appreciate these magical watercolors fully. The artwork provides an essential visual context for the narrative, dramatically enhancing the overall experience. Back matter includes author and illustrator notes and the Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge. S.A.A. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2021 - AudioFile

★ 2019-12-08
In this tribute to Native resilience, Indigenous author-and-illustrator team Lindstrom and Goade invite readers to stand up for environmental justice.

"Water is the first medicine," a young, unnamed protagonist reflects as she wades into a river with her grandmother. "We come from water." Stunning illustrations, rich in symbolism from the creators' respective Ojibwe and Tlingit/Haida lineages, bring the dark-haired, brown-skinned child's narrative to life as she recounts an Anishinaabe prophecy: One day, a "black snake" will terrorize her community and threaten water, animals, and land. "Now the black snake is here," the narrator proclaims, connecting the legend to the present-day threat of oil pipelines being built on Native lands. Though its image is fearsome, younger audiences aren't likely to be frightened due to Goade's vibrant, uplifting focus on collective power. Awash in brilliant colors and atmospheric studies of light, the girl emphasizes the importance of protecting "those who cannot fight for themselves" and understanding that on Earth, "we are all related." Themes of ancestry, community responsibility, and shared inheritance run throughout. Where the brave protagonist is depicted alongside her community, the illustrations feature people of all ages, skin tones, and clothing styles. Lindstrom's powerful message includes non-Native and Native readers alike: "We are stewards of the Earth. We are water protectors."

An inspiring call to action for all who care about our interconnected planet. (author's note, glossary, illustrator's note, Water Protector pledge) (Picture book. 5-12)

Kirkus Reviews