We Are Water Protectors

by Carole Lindstrom, Michaela Goade (Illustrator)

L’EAU EST LE PREMIER DES REMÈDES.
L’EAU EST L’AFFAIRE DE TOUS, ELLE NOUS RELIE TOUS.

LORSQU’UN SERPENT NOIR MENACE DE DÉTRUIRE LA TERRE ET DE SOUILLER L’EAU QUI L’IRRIGUE, UNE JEUNE GARDIENNE DE L’EAU SE DRESSE POUR DÉFENDRE LA RESSOURCE LA PLUS SACRÉE DE LA PLANÈTE.

INSPIRÉE DES NOMBREUX MOUVEMENTS MENÉS PAR LES TRIBUS INDIGÈNES À TRAVERS L’AMÉRIQUE DU NORD, CETTE HISTOIRE FORTE ET POÉTIQUE LANCE UN CRI D’ALARME : ELLE APPELLE À UN RASSEMBLEMENT URGENT POUR PRÉSERVER 
L’EAU DE LA TERRE DE LA DESTRUCTION ET DE LA CORRUPTION.
 
LAURÉAT DE LA MÉDAILLE CALDECOTT,
CET OUVRAGE A DÉJÀ CONQUIS PLUS DE 250 000 LECTEURS.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Indigenous, Nature, Native American, Environment, Nonfiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published March 17, 2020

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that feels written for me. I love this story. The author wrote this after the incident at Standing Rock happened with the water and the oil pipe. She tells of the stories told to the people of the land. They are told to protect the water and one day a black serpent will come to poison the water and they must protect against this serpent. The serpent is oil pipes that crisscross our land and leak.

The story is about this girl and her village and the important of all the water, land and animals. They are stewards of the land and that fits right in with the bible which tells us we are stewards of the land as well. The artwork is swirls of water and beautiful blue tones. It's dreamlike and it takes me back to my days in the sweat lodges. I miss those days. I have prayed with the people and for the land. I went to South Dakota for 4 years in a row and did a vision quest and prayed on the land with the people. I haven't found a place in Maryland to connect with that again. I know the stories of the 4 legged and the winged ones. I love the poetry and the way of thinking about life.

Our world is out of balance and indigenous tribes have tried to tell us for decades how to live in harmony with the world and we are so lost in our culture, we don't have the will as a group to stand up and help ourselves.

I love the uplifting loving message of this book. The interconnectedness. I learned something too. In her tribe, the mend protect fire and the women protect water. The Lakota tradition didn't mention that.

There is also a little pledge at the back of the book and if it weren't a library book I would sign it. It says: I will do my best to honor Mother Earth and all its living beings, including the water and the land. I will always remember to treat the Earth as I would like to be treated. I will treat the winged ones, the crawling ones, the four-legged, the two-legged, the plants, trees, rivers, lakes, the Earth with Kindness and respect. I pledge to make this world a better place by being a steward of the Earth and a protector of the water.

One the cover, the girl is wearing earrings of the 4 directions and the colors. I miss that. This book makes me realize I miss being part of the seasons and the land and celebrating it. I need to connect to life again. I love this little book.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a long review because this is an important book and the discussions surrounding it are important. I think the book has much to offer but I also found it a bit incomplete. It provided a rousing call to action to protect our water and the environment, but failed to provide actionable steps that children can take to actually BE water protectors. If you don’t have time to read my full review, I encourage you to skip to the bottom where I list some ideas for protecting our water (and I encourage you to add to the list). In my own research over the past several years, I have been surprised by some of the ways water resources are threatened—as well as the measures we can take to help.

Now, for the complete review:

I do think the illustrations in this book outstanding. I will have to wait until I see more of the 2020 picture books to see if I would have awarded it the Caldecott but I think it definitely deserves accolades. The illustrations manage to have at once a contemporary and very traditional feel and I think this is pitch-perfect because throughout the story there is this deep connection to the Native traditions and ancestors while also being very much a story about modern Native tribes and their fight to keep the oil pipelines off their land. The nature scenes are exquisite. The anthropomorphism of the pipeline as a snake is very effective (and, IMO, could be quite frightening to sensitive youngsters). (I personally don’t like to see snakes in the role of "bad guy" but I am not clear as to whether this is something from one of Native traditions and a way that Native Nations talk about the pipeline (the “black snake” as it is called in the book) or whether the author made up this symbolism herself. So, I don’t think it’s my place to judge but I do simply want to call it out for parents of sensitive readers.)

The story itself is about the sacredness and vital importance of water with a to action to protect it. It culminates by highlighting the 2016 event when the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe protested the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline that would cross tribal lands and pollute their environment. It is told in a beautiful and compelling way. I think children will come away understanding water is important and should be protected. However, I think the nuances here may go over the heads of most children. (By the way, I also think this story is about the importance of tribal rights and tribal land preservation. Anyone interested in these issues can check out the website HonorEarth.org, a site to raise awareness and funds for indigenous struggles in environmental justice.)

So, despite the many strengths of the story, I'm not sure the target audience (if we are saying the target audience is children) will really come away from the story with what they truly need to be water protectors -- namely, age-appropriate, effective strategies for helping keep water clean, and protect our earth. The book ends with an "Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge" for the child to sign and date. It's nice. But, for me, that is not getting to the core issue here which is helping children connect-the-dots to how their everyday behaviors affect the environment. I believe children are, by nature, friends of the earth and its creatures. I don't think they need much persuasion to be a "steward of the Earth and a protector of the water" -- they want to do this naturally. What they need are the tools to help them do this. They need role models, guidance, and how-to strategies. This book provides role models, which is important. And I'm glad the book shows that children can have a role in activism. But, most children reading this book are not in a position to go join a protest against the oil pipelines (which is what the child in this book does) so I think providing some concrete examples of ways children can be water protectors in their everyday life would have been great. (Especially since, sadly, the protest didn't stop the pipeline from being built and I could imagine some children coming away from the story feeling a bit lost as to what they could actually do to help.) Children need strategies that they can implement in their daily lives, even if (especially if) the adults in their lives are not environmentally aware and they need to know how choices they make have an impact (For example, learning that the single-use plastic bottle they used at lunch is connected to oil...so foregoing single-use plastic is one of the ways we can be Water Protectors.)

The author ends her note in this way, "I have hope that the next generation, YOU, will continue to see the importance of preserving our precious planet by pledging to be a Water Protector with me!" I truly believe the author's heart is in the right place and it is not my intention to criticize her plea or message (which I agree is important) but I do feel that the book would have been stronger if concrete, actionable steps (or at least some suggestions for further reading, websites to explore, etc.) were given in the back matter to help children actually live as Water Protectors. I’m afraid that it’s more likely most will simply come away with a romanticized notion of “being” Water Protectors because they signed a pledge to treat the earth “with kindness and respect” (which is a message I’ve heard since I was a child in the 80s and, alas, has not been enough to actually stop the crisis that is happening to our planet) but they won't know how to make some changes in their daily lives to bring this important notion into reality.
**********************************
Here are some ideas to help reduce our personal reliance on oil and help protect the water and preserve our natural resources. Especially for children, who can write to representatives but cannot yet vote politically, it’s important to remember that every day you vote with your dollar. Sometimes, the best way to do this is by not spending at all. And even families on budgets will find that some of these strategies actually save money.

Buy second-hand rather than buying new (especially important for clothing) or, better yet, see what you can get for free (freecycle.org) or swap out clothing and accessories (RehashClothes.com). rather than buying new or throwing your old clothes away. (“The fashion industry is the world’s second-most polluting industry.” --https://www.theconsciouschallenge.org...

Consider doing meatless meals a few times (or more) per week. While certainly most vegan pre-packaged foods are expensive and not accessible to many families, replacing meat with beans a few times a week is inexpensive and easy to do. (“Researchers at the University of Oxford found that cutting meat and dairy products from your diet could reduce an individual's carbon footprint from food by up to 73 per cent. If everyone stopped eating these foods, they found that global farmland use could be reduced by 75 per cent, an area equivalent to the size of the US, China, Australia and the EU combined.” -- https://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...)

Reduce or eliminate purchase of single-use plastic.
For further reading: Join the No-Plastic Challenge!: A First Book of Reducing Waste

If you have a lawn, consider replacing it with a vegetable garden or water-wise garden or native plants. This helps local wildlife and pollinators and, if you can grow some fresh veg, it is also wonderful for you! If you can’t replace your lawn, consider using fewer chemical treatments or using only organic fertilizers. (“On a per acre basis, American homeowners use 10 times more pesticides than what is used on U.S. farms.” -- https://www.panna.org/starting-home/g...).
Suggestions for further reading:
On Meadowview Street
Sweet Peas and Honeybees

If you're going in the ocean, be sure you use reef-safe sunscreens.
See here for a list:
https://savethereef.org/about-reef-sa...

Our wonderful librarian had an "activity kit" for We Are Water Protectorstucked in our most recent pick-up stack at the library. It was complied by Jessica Ellison, a teacher educator at the Minnesota Historical Society. It contains a page "What ____Your Name]___ is Doing to Protect the Earth and Support the Water Protectors Pledge" and it notes the following suggestions that children can check off (as well as some spaces for write-in steps):
Turn off the water when you brush your teeth
Take shorter showers
Use a reusable water bottle
Turn off the lights when you leave a room
Avoid using plastic utensils and straws
Recycle
Plant a tree
Turn off an unplug electronics when you're not using them
Ask your parents to carpool with your fellow classmates
Volunteer with your class or family to do a beach clean up
Learn about your local government's environmental policies
Write a letter to your representative
Garden in your backyard or classroom
Use both sides of your paper

I’m going to post this review now but I know this list in incomplete and I’ll try to add as I think of more. I also encourage all the Water Protectors out there to add a comment about the ways you are helping preserve our precious water resources. Thank you!

If you enjoyed this book, I recommend that you also check out: The Water Walker.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal!

Each year my family reads all the Goodreads-award-nominated picture books. We Are Water Protectors, written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michael Goade, both of whom have indigenous roots, is book #20 (of 20) of 2020, whew, read after the contest ended, because of libraries being closed for weeks at a time. It’s one of the rare nominated books that deal with the environment and environmental justice, pertaining to our need to protect fresh water for now and the future (as it has not been protected for many many years, though especially the last four years). It’s an indigenous story (and again, written and illustrated by indigenous authors) that honors those of us who took a stand against the pipeline in the Dakotas as one example of a righteous act. And a girl leads the way in the fight! One of the best picture books of 2020.

Harry (16): 3 stars. This is an important message, because we have to protect our water!

Tara: 4 stars. Good story. Work to stop water pollution!

Dave: 4 stars. I like all the cultural references in the art, that are also detailed in an appendix, as are actual instances of water protection going on that we/kids can get involved in. And a pledge we/kids can take. The “story” is more a set of aphorisms than a story, a set of principles for being one with nature, spirit and Earth, in the process of being fully human, but it does feature a girl leading the way. I give a point to the activism, so important for young people to get involved in water protection as fresh water sources are being polluted and drying up all over the world, one of our worst crises (responsible for many refugees), part of climate change stupidity, of course. And yay, diverse authors!

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely gorgeous kids' book—stunningly illustrated by Michaela Goade.

In the story, as told by a kôhkom (kookum or grandmother) her granddaughter is warned about a "black snake that will destroy the land", and asked "to make this world a better place by being a steward of the Earth and a protector of the water." This is part of the Seven Fires Prophecy, and as you might have guessed, the "black snake" represents oil pipelines that criss-cross tribal lands and run through our waterways, bringing destruction and harm to whatever is in their path.

Not just for kids. This important story—this important warning—is a humanitarian issue for everyone! 5 stars and very highly recommended for children and adults!

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a powerful book - children need books like this to understand what diversity really means - so sad that Indigenous Peoples (IP) have to stand and fight for their rights. The Ojibwe have given women the role as protectors of water (men are the protectors of fire) and many IP women are being arrested for trying to fulfill this role. Beautiful art - highest recommendation.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Annual Goodreads Choice Awards reading project: Read all the Picture Book nominees! (12 of 20)

A call to activism in support of a good cause is beautifully illustrated in this book exploring the environmental and spiritual reasons behind the Dakota Access Pipeline protests by the Standing Rock Sioux and their supporters.

[Danika at The Lesbrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeously-illustrated book that would be a great way to start so many conversations, whether it's about environmentalism, pipelines, activism, or Indigenous cultures. I loved the repeating refrain of "We stand / With our songs / And our drums / We are still here." which shows Indigenous culture and beliefs being passed down through generations. This is beautiful and powerful, and I'm so glad that the Caldecott will put it on more libraries' shelves!

[Moonkiszt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Featured in grandma reads session.

The author, Carole Lindstrom, is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, located in North Dakota. The illustrator, Michaela Goade, was raised in Southeast Alaska, home of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian tribes. Both have a profound reverence for water. Their thoughtful words and stunning artwork show that it is the responsibility of humans to care for water, keep it clean and healthy, and to approach care for Earth in its entirety with the same diligent and considered accountability, as owed to all generations of humankind, past, present and future.

The book closes with this heartfelt pledge, worthy for all readers and listeners to take (we did!):

Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge

I will do my best to honor Mother Earth and all its living beings, including the water and land. I will always remember to treat the Earth as If would like to be treated.

I will treat. . .
the winged ones,
the crawling ones,
the four-legged,
the two-legged,
the plants,
trees,
rivers,
lakes,
the Earth
with kindness and respect.

I pledge to make this world a better place by being a stewardof the Earth and a protector of the water.

(name) (date)

[Jasmine from How Useful It Is · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read for my toddler as a story time. Good story about protecting water.

Borrowed this book from the library.

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous and thought-provoking book about a young girl and her tribe, who vow to protect their homeland and heritage from a vast and destructive enemy--an oil pipeline. Through inspiring and strong words, kids are empowered to know they can stand for what is right, too.

Although I wasn't a huge fan of representing the pipeline as a "black snake"--snakes already have it pretty bad and the vast majority of species are harmless and beneficial, but perhaps this would make a good discussion point for the use of metaphor in books. Is the enemy actually a snake? What does the black snake represent? How could oil spills hurt snakes and other wildlife?

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flowing, luminous, and graceful art portrayed primarily in blues, purples, and reds of a Native Indian’s stand to protect the sacred waters, the people, and the creatures of our earth from the black snake (the oil pipeline). For the Ojibwes, the women protect the water. According to the Seven Fires Prophecy if humans choose the natural path, their will be health, peace, and unity for Mother Earth. There is a pledge at the end of the book for all of us to become earth stewards and water protectors. This is a beautiful and inspiring child’s book to make a stand before it is too late.

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for the ecologically minded to share with their children. Written and illustrated by two indigenous women, this book is narrated by a Ojibwe girl recalling a life lesson from her grandmother: the supreme importance of water to all life forms. Humans come from water, from mothers’ wombs, and how water nurtures all throughout their living existence … people, animals, plants, etc. Evil takes the form of a black snake that will spoil the water and destroy the land, and is the representation of oil pipelines. And following the example of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, the young girl and her tribe make a stand, fighting to preserve clean and unspoiled water.

[Matal “The Mischling Princess” Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade, “We Are Water Protectors” is a beautiful story. Focusing on the 2016 protests on Standing Rock Sioux Reservation in 2016, the author explains how water is so important to Native peoples.

The protests took place at Standing Rock Reservation (Hunkpapa Lakota), not far from where I lived in South Dakota and not far from the Pine Ridge Reservation (Oglala Lakota), where problems with obtaining water was a problem (at least in the 1990s). When I learned that an oil pipeline was going to be built underneath the main source of water for the Hunkpapa tribe, I was alarmed. This book is an important reminder for people to keep in mind that our natural resources need to be protected.

The author included sections at the end of the PB on More on Water Protectors, Further Reading, Glossary, Illustrator’s Note, and a pledge that children can sign and date. The illustrator did a beautiful job and her choice of using watercolors to illustrate the book was excellent. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for young readers (and adults!).

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by the story of the Standing Rock protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline, an oil pipeline running from North Dakota to Illinois, Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) author Carole Lindstrom spins this tale of a young Native American girl who, together with her people, takes a stand as a water protector, against the destructive "black snake" threatening their lands. Guided by the wisdom of her nokomis, or grandmother, the girl reflects on the importance of water to all life, and the urgent necessity to protect it. The simple but poetic text, which emphasizes the presence of native peoples in the here and now - "We stand / With our songs / And our drums. / We are still here" - and the interconnected nature of all life and all peoples, is paired with gorgeously stylized illustrations from Tlingit artist Michaela Goade...

Published in March of 2020, We Are Water Protectors is a book I have been meaning to get to for some time now. Unlike most previous years, I had little access to the newest children's books this past year, so I had few opinions as to which titles were contenders for awards. Having now read this, I can certainly see why it was awarded the Caldecott Medal, given annually to the preceding year's "most distinguished American picture book for children." Michaela Goade's illustrations here are beautiful, featuring a gorgeous color palette, elegantly stylized human and animal figures, and an overall composition on each page that works well with Lindstrom's text. This last is key, as the Caldecott doesn't simply recognize beautiful illustration. Rather, it recognizes excellence in the picture-book form, and part of what makes a picture-book excellent is the seamless connection between story and image. Here that relationship is wonderfully complementary, as exemplified in many scenes. Perhaps one of my favorites is the two-page spread which shows the young girl surging forward, her hair a stream of water behind her. This powerful image is paired with the words: "Take Courage!"



Needless to say, I enjoyed the artwork here, and will lose no time in seeking out other books illustrated by Goade. I also appreciated the story, and the afterword, which gives more information about the importance of water in Ojibwe culture, and the protestors against the DAPL. A glossary and an illustrator's note are also included, and it's significant that Goade mentions including certain visual details in honor of Carole Lindstrom's Ojibwe heritage. This is significant, as Goade herself is native, but of Tlingit heritage, subtly emphasizing to young readers that not all native peoples are synonymous. Highly recommended, to any picture-book readers seeking stories with an ecological theme and/or with a Native American cultural context. Also recommended to anyone who appreciates beautiful picture-book art.

[Shirleynature · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully & powerfully written by an Anishinaabe/Métis author enrolled with the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe and gorgeously illustrated by an artist of Tlingit heritage enrolled with the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Tribes of Alaska! Winner of the 2021 Caldecott Medal and richly inspiring to everyone from age 3 to adults. This book is a great introduction to environmental injustices endured by all people with connections to Standing Rock and many more far beyond the Dakota Access Pipeline challenges.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is gorgeous, both the message, and the illustrations. The story in this book is relevant for people of all ages, protect our water. The repeated theme is how we are ALL of this planet and ALL connected to the water, therefore to ensure a bright future we need to take responsibility and stand up for our planet and all of it's life forms.

This book, writen by a Native of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, is a beautiful conversation piece to teach children more about Native culture and how important it is for people of all walks of life to join together.

[Ms. B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told by a Native American author, it's a story about taking care of the environment. Together, our voices can make a difference. #ownvoices

[Dana Al-Basha | دانة الباشا · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, message, art, and goal. This book should win!

[Bek (MoonyReadsByStarlight) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible story with important discussion on tough subjects that are approached without sugar-coating, but also without being overwhelming for children. The extra information after the story takes this book to the next level for teaching and conversation with children on the topics in the story.

[Jessica Haider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Led to a great conversation with my kids about Native Americans, the environment, and the protection of land/water.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is phenomenal. The art, the message - both are simply incredible. The text is poetic, yet accessible, and the art is just stunning. This deserves all the stars. All of them. Twelve. Twelve stars. That seems fair and reasonable.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!

[Tyler Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's beyond sad that Indigenous Peoples have to stand up and protect their water. Water shouldn't be threatened. The oil pipeline people say "it's safe" and many oil leaks happen every year, proving again and again it is not safe.

This is a beautiful book with lots of information without being overwhelming for children.

[Agnė · Rating 4 out of 5]

We Are Water Protectors is an environmental picturebook inspired by the 2016 protests of Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and their supporters against Dakota Access Pipeline.

Carole Lindstom's urgent, powerful, and heart-touching call to action is written in a simple yet lyrical text, and Michaela Goade's watercolor illustrations are vibrant, imaginative, and breathtakingly gorgeous.











The back matter provides more information about the protests at Standing Rock, which became “a movement that would bring together more that five hundred Indigenous Nations from all over the world to stand for clean water.” However, I was dismayed to learn that the efforts didn’t pan out and, "despite the fierce protests, construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline moved forward" and it leaked "before construction was even complete!!!" Unfortunately, We Are Water Protectors doesn’t offer any other actionable steps or effective examples of how to be “a steward of the Earth and a protector of the water...”

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade won the 2021 Caldecott Medal for this picture book. It celebrates the Standing Rock Sioux protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Both author and illustrator are of Native American descent. The illustrations are stunning with the pipeline represented by a black snake and the natural world in brilliant colors. Children and their elders are portrayed working together to save their environment.

A strong and positive way to teach children about what it takes to protect our natural world and explain how water connects us all.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautifully illustrated book calls for a stand against the 'black snake' (oil/gas pipelines) per the harm they can cause to Earth. Very easy to read, but the 'black snake' will need a little explanation to the littlest children reading this book.

On a personal note: I believe we will look back on this century+ (PA Oil 1859; Texas Oil 1901) as the same embarrassment that whale oil was. Solar energy is pouring out of the Sun. I just hope kids can find this Caldecott Medal winning book in their local libraries amidst any politics surrounding pipelines!

[Barb Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A girl explains how a black snake from Native American folklore will come and poison the land and water and how her people are called to protect it. The black snake represents oil pipelines that go through tribal lands and pollute the water due to leaks. And of course, it is illustrated with water colors ; ) Don't miss the author's note in the back. Beautiful book with text and illustrations!

[Jillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michaela Goade is rapidly becoming a favorite illustrator of mine! This book is gorgeous, and so important for the representation and perspective that is shares. It's a beautiful book that should be in all elementary libraries!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brightly colored illustrated book that shares the story of the importance of water being medicine. It is an Indigenous lesson of culture…

And…

The appreciation of the land and earth and all animals in protection of this important resource.

It is also…

An…

Important fight for life.

The author also provides resources, further reading, a glossary and an illustrator’s note.

Interest level: 3-7 years – Pre-school and up

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some it starts at an early age. We are taught by our parents, grandparents or adult mentors, to nurture and care for Earth in her entirety. For me it was my father. We spent early morning and evening hours in summer on the lakes and rivers fishing. He taught me to watch the weather, the time of day and how fish might think. We walked for miles in the woods in autumn during bow hunting season. To and from our spot, he was always whispering to me about the various trees and plants and how to look for signs left by all animals. (On our hunting trips, an animal never lost its life in our presence. There is a reason for this, but that's another story.)

When it came to water, my dad had rules. You never put anything on or into the ground which might harm the water table or any animals who frequented that area. You used water sparingly, except for keeping a garden healthy or for drinking. To this day, I'm the one homeowner digging out hundreds of certain unwanted weeds from my gardens and lawn rather than applying harmful chemicals.

Having lived near many different small lakes and rivers or one of the Great Lakes in Michigan for more than sixty-eight years, I have witnessed their splendor and their challenges due to the careless hands of humans. We Are Water Protectors (Roaring Brook Press, March 17, 2020) written by Carole Lindstrom (Anishinaabe/Metis and tribally enrolled with the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe) with illustrations by Michaela Goade (of Tlingit descent and tribally enrolled with the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska) is powerful in both words and artwork. It speaks to the fierce dedication of Indigenous Peoples to guard our water and invites everyone to stand strong against those who wish to do it harm.


My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...