We Are Water Protectors

Publishing Details

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Physical Properties

Description

Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all. Water is sacred. My people talk of a black snake that will destroy the land, Spoil the water, wreck everything in its path. They foretold that it wouldn't come for many, many years. Now the black snake is here. Told from the perspective of a Native American child, this bold and lyrical picture book written by Ojibwe/Mtis author Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Tlingit artist Michaela Goade is a powerful call to action to defend Earth's natural resources-inspired by the Dakota Access Pipeline protests and similar movements led by Indigenous tribes all across North America.

Reviews

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

Author Bio

Carole Lindstrom is Anishinabe/Mtis 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 an artist 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.di Clan from Sitka, Alaska.