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Water Boy
Beloved illustrator McPhail offers a child’s magical view of the natural world.
When a little boy overcomes his fear of water, fantastic things begin to The birds who live by the sea bring him treasures, the waves sing to him, and suddenly, he is able to perform incredible tricks, like parting or purifying water. He uses his special powers to transform not only himself, but also the world around him.
Award-winning author and illustrator David McPhail uses his exquisite paintings and a touch of magic to illustrate the connection between people and nature and to encourage young readers to help take care of the environment. A beautiful and evocative picture book unlike any other, Water Boy will captivate children, adults, and environmentalists alike.
“ Water Boy began as a series of little drawings (I try to do at least one every day). Water images kept showing up in my sketches and soon became a theme. After I’d done about eight or ten, I tried to connect them, but nothing worked, so I put the idea aside.
“I continued to draw, and my drawings were still infused with water. Then, without really trying, they began to reveal some continuity. I kept drawing and drawing, and the story continued to take shape. It came together so magically that it informed my new Do the art you want, and the story will follow . . .”
—David McPhail
When a little boy overcomes his fear of water, fantastic things begin to The birds who live by the sea bring him treasures, the waves sing to him, and suddenly, he is able to perform incredible tricks, like parting or purifying water. He uses his special powers to transform not only himself, but also the world around him.
Award-winning author and illustrator David McPhail uses his exquisite paintings and a touch of magic to illustrate the connection between people and nature and to encourage young readers to help take care of the environment. A beautiful and evocative picture book unlike any other, Water Boy will captivate children, adults, and environmentalists alike.
“ Water Boy began as a series of little drawings (I try to do at least one every day). Water images kept showing up in my sketches and soon became a theme. After I’d done about eight or ten, I tried to connect them, but nothing worked, so I put the idea aside.
“I continued to draw, and my drawings were still infused with water. Then, without really trying, they began to reveal some continuity. I kept drawing and drawing, and the story continued to take shape. It came together so magically that it informed my new Do the art you want, and the story will follow . . .”
—David McPhail
40 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2007
About the author
David McPhail
253 books96 followersDavid was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts and attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. While there, he began illustrating. He is now an award-winning author and illustrator of nearly 200 books beloved by children, parents and librarians across the United States. McPhail has garnered many prestigious awards, including a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year for Mole Music in 2001. McPhail’s other books include First Flight, which the New York Times praised as “hilarious and helpful”; and Lost!, which was chosen as an American Bookseller Pick of the Lists.
McPhail has four children, three stepchildren, and is a proud grandfather. He is married to Jan Waldron, with whom he has written and illustrated several books. He lives in Rye, New Hampshire.
McPhail has four children, three stepchildren, and is a proud grandfather. He is married to Jan Waldron, with whom he has written and illustrated several books. He lives in Rye, New Hampshire.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 14, 2022
Some children fear water, which is normal, as it means taking a bath or being engulfed in a wave while playing at the beach. This book teaches youngsters to learn how to overcome such fear in a fantastical picture-book way.
Ever since the bathwater wrapped around his big toe and tried to pull him down the drain, the boy had been a reluctant bather.
It begins with a teacher explaining to her class about water, specifically that it makes up most of a human’s body. This makes the young hero of the story wonder what will happen if he springs a leak…will the water inside just roll away? And when it gets cold in the winter, will he just freeze up like a snowman?
But after he has a talk with his mother, he begins to feel less afraid. Eventually, water becomes his friend and he finds he has a relationship with it, allowing him to manipulate and communicate with water.
This is a book which will help alleviate a child’s reluctance to get into a bathtub. It’s gentle yet keeps the reader’s attention and has David McPhail’s soft palette, full of aqua blues and greens. I enjoyed it mainly because it reminded me of when I was a child in a very dry Melbourne. It never rained. This disappointed me because I had a pair of red boots which I could only use if it rained. So one day I filled them with water and stomped around, sloshing as I went. There’s a similar picture in this book and it brought back childhood memories of curiosity.
Book Season = Year Round (gleaming drops)
Ever since the bathwater wrapped around his big toe and tried to pull him down the drain, the boy had been a reluctant bather.
It begins with a teacher explaining to her class about water, specifically that it makes up most of a human’s body. This makes the young hero of the story wonder what will happen if he springs a leak…will the water inside just roll away? And when it gets cold in the winter, will he just freeze up like a snowman?
But after he has a talk with his mother, he begins to feel less afraid. Eventually, water becomes his friend and he finds he has a relationship with it, allowing him to manipulate and communicate with water.
This is a book which will help alleviate a child’s reluctance to get into a bathtub. It’s gentle yet keeps the reader’s attention and has David McPhail’s soft palette, full of aqua blues and greens. I enjoyed it mainly because it reminded me of when I was a child in a very dry Melbourne. It never rained. This disappointed me because I had a pair of red boots which I could only use if it rained. So one day I filled them with water and stomped around, sloshing as I went. There’s a similar picture in this book and it brought back childhood memories of curiosity.
Book Season = Year Round (gleaming drops)
January 21, 2014
Beautiful story about water, a little boy, and the power of imagination. We loved the awesome pictures and special abilities of the little boy. It kept my 6 yr old and my preschoolers engaged throughout. One of our favorites.
December 29, 2019
I'm not sure how to classify this one, but I think I like it. So, 3 stars.
It could almost be a STEM book - how water is a part of us, and part of so many systems that tie us together and to all sorts of bigger things. It could almost be a fairy tale too - how the boy controls water bodies, big and small - though whether this is an actual power of understanding or power of imagination is never really specified. And there is never really the darker consequence or responsibility of his power, like a lot of fairy tales have - no big lesson. So, not really sure how to classify this one. The illustrations are beautiful, either way.
Not really sure I'd use this in a storytime - like I said, not really sure how to classify this one. Might use this in a STEM, though, as a lighter story before we play with water systems of some sort - an introductory fiction to lead into a lesson.
It could almost be a STEM book - how water is a part of us, and part of so many systems that tie us together and to all sorts of bigger things. It could almost be a fairy tale too - how the boy controls water bodies, big and small - though whether this is an actual power of understanding or power of imagination is never really specified. And there is never really the darker consequence or responsibility of his power, like a lot of fairy tales have - no big lesson. So, not really sure how to classify this one. The illustrations are beautiful, either way.
Not really sure I'd use this in a storytime - like I said, not really sure how to classify this one. Might use this in a STEM, though, as a lighter story before we play with water systems of some sort - an introductory fiction to lead into a lesson.
February 24, 2019
3.5 Stars. Illustrations are wonderful. The story is odd. And the mix of the two is confusing. If the illustrations had been more whimsical, it would have been a completely different book. As it is, though, it's more like a fairytale before it's been Disney-fied. But not as dark as a fairytale should be.
Like I said--it's odd.
Like I said--it's odd.
August 31, 2020
I enjoyed the whimsical aspects of this book.
July 9, 2022
Loved the illustrations and the story
January 22, 2023
My daughter found this book at the library and it beautifully connects with her identity
March 24, 2025
A magical and Whimsical book with lovely illustrations!
August 22, 2010
I'm still not sure what I think of this exactly. Julia was able to tell me what she liked but I'm at a loss. The story is fairly short with a little boy, after learning in school that humans are made of mostly water, starts wondering about a few things based on what he knows of water. He pictures a few different scenarios, him freezing since water does freeze, him going down the bathub drain, etc. (The illustration of him laying on the sidewalk draining into the street was a little disconcerting to say the least.)
Eventually he grew fond of water and found he could do all kinds of tricks. Kids will like the illustrations of him doing the tricks but those are by far the most alluring for any kid.
Nearing the end of the story he finds a dirty river and cleans it by adding some of his "magic" water to it from a bridge. While he was walking along the shoreline one day (alone) he finds a bottle with a note included. The note said only his name and "thank you".
I don't know, I'm still not sure where my feelings fall but Julia loved the water tricks and she thought looking at the kids butt in the bath was hilarious also. Her least favorite part was when the dog fell into the waterfall because, as she said, "The people should have been watching the dog." I'd get another book by the author but I'd like it to be different from this. This seems to me not along the normal lines of a childs book. I'm having an extremely difficult time explaining myself this morning.
Eventually he grew fond of water and found he could do all kinds of tricks. Kids will like the illustrations of him doing the tricks but those are by far the most alluring for any kid.
Nearing the end of the story he finds a dirty river and cleans it by adding some of his "magic" water to it from a bridge. While he was walking along the shoreline one day (alone) he finds a bottle with a note included. The note said only his name and "thank you".
I don't know, I'm still not sure where my feelings fall but Julia loved the water tricks and she thought looking at the kids butt in the bath was hilarious also. Her least favorite part was when the dog fell into the waterfall because, as she said, "The people should have been watching the dog." I'd get another book by the author but I'd like it to be different from this. This seems to me not along the normal lines of a childs book. I'm having an extremely difficult time explaining myself this morning.
October 14, 2010
A boy learns in school that our bodies are made largely of water, and becomes fascinated with the idea. The book started out promising, with him imagining all the things that might happen to him that would make the water leave or change. For example, he wonders if he could dissolve in the rain, or turn to ice in the winter, or if the water would leak out of him if the cat scratched him. To my disappointment, however, these questions are left unanswered. From then on the story becomes more of a fantasy in which he develops a magical relationship with water. This reminded me of Masaru Emoto's books, such as The Secret Life of Water. It could have been a great science book, but it turned into a fantasy that didn't quite work for me. Disappointing, but I gave it 3 stars because the illustrations are so beautiful.
February 2, 2012
A young school boy, after being told by his teacher that his body is mostly water, wonders what would happen to him in different kinds of situations. For example, what would happen if he stood in the freezing cold, the rain, was scratched by a cat? Would all of the water leak out of him? He becomes afraid of taking a bath as he fears he will disappear down the drain with the rest of the water. But as time goes by he comes to enjoy the water.
He begins to play with the water, learns to control it. After a while he trapped rain water in a jar and placed it in the sun to absorb the suns' energy. Then the experiments began. He found that a drop of the sun-infused rain water would clear up the cloudiest ink bottle. Two drops cleared a mud puddle. A river crying out for help gets enough drops to send the cleaned water out to the ocean. The ocean sends back a "thank you."
He begins to play with the water, learns to control it. After a while he trapped rain water in a jar and placed it in the sun to absorb the suns' energy. Then the experiments began. He found that a drop of the sun-infused rain water would clear up the cloudiest ink bottle. Two drops cleared a mud puddle. A river crying out for help gets enough drops to send the cleaned water out to the ocean. The ocean sends back a "thank you."
April 20, 2009
Beautiful watercolor and ink illustrations! A boy ponders the awesome power and vastness of water, which first installs fear. He then overcomes his fear, and imagines his own kind of magical mastery of water. The book ends with a subtle conservation message, namely that the boy is able to clean the rivers and oceans. Recommended for readers aged 4-10.
April 1, 2010
Beautifully illustrated story about a boy's fear of water and the way he conquers it. Water Boy is part magic, part mystery, part discovery...a book that makes the reader think about all that surrounds him.
Used for "Got Milk?, Got Water?, Got Juice?" storytime-April, 2010.
Used for "Got Milk?, Got Water?, Got Juice?" storytime-April, 2010.
December 23, 2009
A wonderfully creative story with equally wonderful illustrations. The little boy is very sweet and our girls especially loved his yoyo trick with the glass of water.
January 22, 2012
This book was so adorable! I really liked the pictures they were so detailed. The story line was good and very magical.
June 8, 2012
Gorgeous pictures. Fun story of how a little boy goes from fearing water, to embracing and loving it.
July 14, 2012
I thought that this book was truly magical. The illustrations are amazing, and the story is totally original and imaginative. So glad I found it! :)
July 12, 2013
Picture book perfection: wonderful illustrations, lovely pace and excellent message well-delivered. My 5 year-old and I both love it. It's a library book but we're considering acquiring it.
September 22, 2013
Kind of an eerie tale. My four-year-old loved this one.
December 27, 2013
It is certain images that make this book a wow. And this line, "When he stood on the cliffs, the waves sang to him." (the image with it is stunning)
June 3, 2015
For some reason my daughter really disliked this one, but I thought it was decent.
May 9, 2008
I reviewed this for School Library Journal awhile ago - see my thumbs up review there.
August 16, 2012
A magical story with beautiful illustrations
December 4, 2012
Beautiful drawings. Magical tale.
July 19, 2016
There was a boy that has water inside and he doesn't want to take a bath
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews