All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson

All the Water in the World.
By Lyon, George Ella (auth); Katherine Tillotson (illus).
http://www.georgeellalyon.com/
http://www.katherinetillotson.com/kt/home.html
Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books. March 22, 2011. 40 pp.
ISBN-10 1416971300
Preschool and up.
Nonfiction


 "Water doesn't come. It goes. Around." In zen-like prose, Lyon weaves facts about water conservation into this inspirational poetically written and beautifully illustrated book. As Lyon writes, "All the water in the world . . . is all the water in the world" it cannot be manufactured or made. Water is mysterious. For children, water falls from the sky or flows from the faucet.“Tap dance/avalanche/stampede/of drips and drops and drumming — a wealth of water.” Water can seem unending. But, this is far from the truth. It seems that we have become detached from the preciousness of water, as 7-11s have spouted across the globe offering plastic water bottles making water accessible to all at a reasonable price. Lyon draws attention to the very importance of water by contrasting the idea of waters abundance with areas that are in drought.


The idea water is cyclinical and "that rain has been here before," sets up the idea of things circling around and around until something somewhere goes wrong somewhere in the world. Lyon is a poet in her own right so while she's discussing matters of the material world she's still not afraid to throw in some delicious language. "Thirsty air / licks it from lakes / sips it from ponds / guzzles it from oceans . . ." How many books about the water cycle make you want to read them over and over again? In addition, this book shows that water on earth is the same though it is found in all different forms and travels or is transported in different ways. It is quite an amazing concept.


While this book is recommended for ages 4-8, by the editors, it could be arguably perfect for preschoolers. Water is one of the first elements that a newborn encounters. It would seem that something as essential and important as water would be taught from as early as possible. Though they may not understand the poetic verse, children will understand the meaningfulness by the illustrations and how water is depicted in each page. It would also seem that the tone and sound of words sprinkled with alliteration and occassional rhymes which were so thoughtfully choosen would carry meaning to a preschooler.  Another important side point to the book is that Lyon is able take the subject of the importance of conversation of water without making this a book that talks down to the reader nor a political discourse for the need for conservation or the greenhouse effects. It is a simple call for awareness and celebration of water.