What do you think?
Rate this book
Gaia Girls #2
Way of Water
Winner of the 2008 NAUTILUS GOLD AWARD in the category of Young Adult Fiction/Fantasy Winner of the 2008 MOM'S CHOICE GOLD AWARD in the category of juvenile fiction (ages 9-12)Miho's backyard had always been the sea. The creatures within it were an endless source of fascination. But when the sea steals away her small family, she finds herself the ward of an uncle she has never met and submerged in a world she has never Japan. From the city of Nagoya to the seaside town of Goza, Miho struggles to fit in and navigate the language, the culture and her own grief. It is in Goza that she discovers her surprising family history and finds new teachers. She is befriended by an old man who becomes her Sensei and teaches her Sho-do, The Way of the Brush. And it is there she meets Gaia, the living entity of the Earth. Gaia grants her amazing powers to connect with the "minds in the water" and Miho is given access and understanding to all the world's oceans. Will she be able to use her powers to help balance the traditions of the past with the demands of the present? Can she overcome her outsider status to help others understand The Way of Water?
425 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
7 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Lee Welles
4 books42 followersI am an accidental author. I had no idea I was going to be a writer until about 7 years ago. I began to write a weekly wellness column as a way to promote my business. I was happily surprised by the feedback from the public. They often mentioned how much they enjoyed not only the information, but the way I wrote.
I began to explore the option of freelance writing for magazines and, in the course of my self-directed learning, stumbled upon "The Playful Way to Serious Writing" by Roberta Allen. I discovered that my imagination runs amok given the least provacation!
When I had the idea for Gaia Girls, I told my hubby, a third-grade teacher. He hounded me until I wrote book one. God bless him.
I began to explore the option of freelance writing for magazines and, in the course of my self-directed learning, stumbled upon "The Playful Way to Serious Writing" by Roberta Allen. I discovered that my imagination runs amok given the least provacation!
When I had the idea for Gaia Girls, I told my hubby, a third-grade teacher. He hounded me until I wrote book one. God bless him.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 8, 2007
This is a new YA series from Chelsea Green, and they sent me the second book because I ordered the first one sight unseen. With all the series books written for kids, why not one that promotes Gaia-consciousness? It was engaging, interesting, a little melodramatic (but then most teen lit is). When her parents, scientists studying whale songs and migration, are lost at sea, ten-year-old Miho is sent to live with an uncle she has never met halfway around the world in Japan. Uncle is a chain-smoking, overworked batchelor, and Miho misses the ocean, her parents, and keeps having dreams of a sea otter that she chased after instead of joining her parents on their ill-fated final trip. Then Uncle announces they are going to the family home on the coast for a holiday, and Miho's life suddenly switches into high gear.
Totally believable. I think this book will be welcomed by any kid who has slogged through their fair share of books, wondering why so few of them push anything other than a manifest destiny/dominion over the earth mindset.
Totally believable. I think this book will be welcomed by any kid who has slogged through their fair share of books, wondering why so few of them push anything other than a manifest destiny/dominion over the earth mindset.
September 24, 2016
Fantastic second book in the Gaia Girls series, which will eventually be SEVEN books (though at this rate my daughter will outgrow them before they're all published!)
The story is full of adventure and magic and intrigue, while teaching the reader (both subtly and not-so-subtly) tips for taking care of our precious waters. As an added bonus in this book, you also get a nice collection of Japanese culture and vocabulary. There is urgency and conflict and disaster and tragedy - difficult subjects are not sugar-coated, but addressed with realism and honesty. This book is PERFECT for kids in the mid-to-higher elementary grades. Also great because the protagonist is a girl who discovers her power (personal AND supernatural) and learns from Gaia, who takes the form of an otter, that one individual CAN make a difference. She also learns about relationships, and how to interact with all kinds of people.
The book has fun learning activities in the back like word puzzles and scavenger hunts. Each illustration in the book has a secret letter hidden in it somewhere, and if you collect all the letters in order they spell out a message.
My daughter and I highly recommend this book!
The story is full of adventure and magic and intrigue, while teaching the reader (both subtly and not-so-subtly) tips for taking care of our precious waters. As an added bonus in this book, you also get a nice collection of Japanese culture and vocabulary. There is urgency and conflict and disaster and tragedy - difficult subjects are not sugar-coated, but addressed with realism and honesty. This book is PERFECT for kids in the mid-to-higher elementary grades. Also great because the protagonist is a girl who discovers her power (personal AND supernatural) and learns from Gaia, who takes the form of an otter, that one individual CAN make a difference. She also learns about relationships, and how to interact with all kinds of people.
The book has fun learning activities in the back like word puzzles and scavenger hunts. Each illustration in the book has a secret letter hidden in it somewhere, and if you collect all the letters in order they spell out a message.
My daughter and I highly recommend this book!
February 21, 2008
REALLY GOOD BOOK IT IS A MUST READ FOR OCEANLOVER AND TREEE HUGGERS
July 20, 2017
Found this in a Carmel, CA bookstore - the cover and quick read said 'buy me' because I love the Ocean and Japanese culture. The second in the Gaia Girls series with water now the focus instead of the land. Gaia comes to Miho as an otter to show her the way of her powers with the ocean and sea creatures. As a 'half' she learns about her Japanese side as her parents die (of course) leaving her with a grumpy uncle in Japan. Excellent story for those young readers (and old) who enjoy learning about environmental dangers we put upon the earth without making you super-depressed but more motivated for change.
October 30, 2022
Amazing! I wish the author would write more!
March 22, 2016
This book annoyed me on several levels. I read Gaia Girls: Enter the Earth a while ago, so I figured that since it was a local author and the first book was decent, I would keep plugging away. Now I'm a little sorry (although, I will probably still borrow the forthing coming couple out of the library when they arrive).
1) PREACHY. Yeah, I knew that, but this one was possibly even moreso than the first - and not just about water stuff. If I read the line "stinky cigarettes" one more time... (and I don't like cigarette smoke either. But, come up with some other adjectives!)
2) OH FOR PETE'S SAKE. First off, "haishi?" I thought chopsticks were "hashi." And when she describes Oji-san's house, she says it has "a living room with a kitchen off of it, one bedroom, and a bathroom." Does that mean the toilet is in the same room as the bath? Because that would be really unusual in a Japanese house or apartment, wouldn't it? I can understand eliminating the "confusing silent u" in the Japanese words... I suppose. Maybe.
3) Serious proofreading errors. For one thing, they couldn't seem to make up their minds about whether or not to capitalize certain things (like Ishin Denshin?). Those kind of things make me crazy.
4) I guess I just didn't like Miho quite as much. She was ok but I got so mad at her for being so selfish sometimes... I suppose that was the lesson she had to learn, but even so it really riled me.
1) PREACHY. Yeah, I knew that, but this one was possibly even moreso than the first - and not just about water stuff. If I read the line "stinky cigarettes" one more time... (and I don't like cigarette smoke either. But, come up with some other adjectives!)
2) OH FOR PETE'S SAKE. First off, "haishi?" I thought chopsticks were "hashi." And when she describes Oji-san's house, she says it has "a living room with a kitchen off of it, one bedroom, and a bathroom." Does that mean the toilet is in the same room as the bath? Because that would be really unusual in a Japanese house or apartment, wouldn't it? I can understand eliminating the "confusing silent u" in the Japanese words... I suppose. Maybe.
3) Serious proofreading errors. For one thing, they couldn't seem to make up their minds about whether or not to capitalize certain things (like Ishin Denshin?). Those kind of things make me crazy.
4) I guess I just didn't like Miho quite as much. She was ok but I got so mad at her for being so selfish sometimes... I suppose that was the lesson she had to learn, but even so it really riled me.
July 1, 2010
How is it that the second book is as good as the first in the series (Enter the Earth)?
I love how Miho represents someone familiar yet foreign. I also appreciate how the book can stand alone, yet how Way of Water ties to Enter the Earth. I enjoyed learning about Japanese culture, especially shodo. It makes me sad and angry to know that the tragedies of the dolphins in this book are real. I enjoyed Miho's powers of water and communication, as well as the changing dynamic of her relationship with her uncle.
I've been checking Amazon.com for several years now in anticipation of the 3rd book, Air Apparent. I've heard this is supposed to be a seven book series. I am a educator, and I've shared these books with several of my students. I'd love for them to be able to continue the series. Lee, how's your progress? You have my #1 next read in your imagination! I miss Gaia Girls!
I love how Miho represents someone familiar yet foreign. I also appreciate how the book can stand alone, yet how Way of Water ties to Enter the Earth. I enjoyed learning about Japanese culture, especially shodo. It makes me sad and angry to know that the tragedies of the dolphins in this book are real. I enjoyed Miho's powers of water and communication, as well as the changing dynamic of her relationship with her uncle.
I've been checking Amazon.com for several years now in anticipation of the 3rd book, Air Apparent. I've heard this is supposed to be a seven book series. I am a educator, and I've shared these books with several of my students. I'd love for them to be able to continue the series. Lee, how's your progress? You have my #1 next read in your imagination! I miss Gaia Girls!
August 29, 2008
This book I was SO excited about. A while before it came out, my friend showed me savethewhalesagain.com. This website is about the dolphin slaughter in Japan and stopping it. There is also a sad video of Hayden Pantierre, the TV star, surfing out with a few other people and trying to get the people to stop it. They get arrested for interfearing though, and Hayden said "I saw a little baby out there wailing for its mom, and I know where its mom is and I know it won't see her again" or something like that.
Anyways, this book is GREAT!! I've already recommended it to my friend and its DEFINETLY one to read!
Anyways, this book is GREAT!! I've already recommended it to my friend and its DEFINETLY one to read!
October 7, 2008
With these crazy news cycles, I needed something to take my mind off what was going on. These books are a good escape. Gaia (Mother Earth) appears in the form of an otter to Elizabeth and Miho and gives them powers to protect the earth from the harmful ways of humans. Of the two, I enjoyed "The Way of Water" more. There are multiple layers to this book that involve identity and belonging. I'd recommend them to any 4-8 grader and adult looking for a fun read. You can't go wrong with these earth warriors!
August 10, 2011
I loved this book; it was interesting to me and informative too. The only concern I have is there was a very graphic part involving dolphins being killed. If I had been an 8-year-old rather than an adult it might have been too much. As it is, it reminded me of the movie The Cove and was hard to read. I loved the first book even more, but that might be because I see myself more on a organic farm than in Japan!
I plan to recommend this book and the series to my seventh grade students this fall. I've already recommended it to friends (with and without kids)!
I plan to recommend this book and the series to my seventh grade students this fall. I've already recommended it to friends (with and without kids)!
March 21, 2013
This installment of the series was far better story-wise, though again the main character was a bit too good to be true (not to the same extreme as Elizabeth in the first book, but not far away). My larger concern with the novel is the appropriation of Japanese culture, which Welles shapes to fit her story line (most notably when she moves the dates of the dolphin slaughters). Many of the Japanese characteristics seem quite stereotypical, which detracts from the story for me. And as with Enter the Earth, Way of Water's sledge-hammer-like message is too much for me.
May 29, 2009
I read this book as part of a book buddies program, and was not expecting to like it all that much. After all, my 4th grade buddy picked it! I was proved wrong. I really, really enjoyed it. Beginning to end. It was very exciting and magical, while still managing to be educational and informative. I must go back and read the first one now!
December 22, 2009
Gaia Girls: Way of Water was a huge improvement over the first book in the series, Enter the Earth. Although the story still didn't flow as I would have liked, the characters were more realistic and better developed, and the plot was much more interesting!
January 26, 2012
Interesting and very timely on environmental issues. However, there were many times I wanted to call Child Protective Services on her guardian and felt the negligence and lack of communication were unrealistic.
January 16, 2014
The second book in the Gaia girls series, it is an excellent read. Not only does this give kids a great perspective of the environment but as well as the culture in Japan. I love her writing style as it's simple, well crafted and poetic.
December 27, 2015
Lee Welles does such an amazing job. I love how much I learned about Japanese culture. I'm very excited for the next book and I absolutely love the small forshadowing of the next character that she created in the book. Absolutely brilliant writing.
September 10, 2008
I love this book!!!!
November 5, 2008
I also love this one! She really met the challnge to write a great book to live up to the first. I had a great time reading it and learning about Japan.
March 20, 2009
it was still really good. but it definitely wasnt as good as the first one.
January 17, 2010
This wasn't terrible, but I found myself struggling to get through it. I loved the first book in this series, so I was disappointed to have such trouble with this one.
June 19, 2009
Even better than Book One, "Gaia Girls Enter the Earth"...a grittier and more complex tale. These are supposedly kids books..but I love them. Book 3, please!
November 3, 2009
As fun as the first, but since it's set in Japan there are also lots of Japanese words and cultural concepts. And, of course, a good old dose of environmentalism!
August 20, 2010
I would have gone crazy for these books as a young girl! As and adult I really liked this one, but want more from the story and plot.
December 14, 2009
LOVED this book too. Can't wait for the third book to come out but no sign of it yet.
November 8, 2010
Kinda sad though...
September 24, 2013
Amazing.
March 31, 2017
Such an amazing book for young readers. I read this book in school and I absolutely adored it. I then checked the first one out at the library and devoured it. I loved this series and was disappointed that more have not come out. I will definitely read any more books that come from this author.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews