Water Water

Jessica Bromley Bartram, the author and illustrator of the picture book Water Water, has created a gorgeous masterpiece with a beautiful, flowing storyline and stunning scenes sure to captivate any reader. Bromley Bartram captures the story of a child experiencing the lake in the summer with its innumerable moods, various species of wildlife, and influencing weather. The child’s awe, respect, and affection for the lake, its inhabitants, and the surrounding wilderness radiate from every page, with thoughtful and vivid descriptions which bring life to even the lake’s inanimate objects. Barton Bromley’s fluid illustrations showcase her talent with sinuous lines, clever hidden features, and eye-catching movement on every page. The colours are vibrant and earthy, complementing each other with blue and green waters, brown, tan, and orange rocks and landscapes, stormy blacks, whites, and greys, and purple and yellow sunsets.

The book’s experience is depicted over two days, starting with a calm and peaceful day swimming in the lake, watching the sunset, and nighttime slumbers influenced by the loon’s call. The second day brings wind and imminent storms which elicit the child’s previous memories of swimming in the lake and which show readers fanciful imaginings about the shoals, giant lake creatures, and the mysteries at the bottom of the lake. After the storm, the following day dawns clear and gentle again, with the child re-entering the lake’s comforting embrace. The reading experience will stir fond memories of nostalgia for those having spent any time around water and imbue others with longing to be part of the utopian experience that is depicted in the book.

Water Water would be best enjoyed independently by students in grades two through four, but children as young as grade one will enjoy the pictures and rhythmic and soothing storyline when it is read to them. The subtle nuances and slightly complicated language may be lost on those in kindergarten. This delightful story will probably not be picked up by students older than grade 5, but that’s only because students that age tend to avoid picture books; however, this story would be extremely well-utilized in classrooms by teachers for figurative language (personification, alliteration), descriptive writing, visualization (if teachers do not show the pictures to students), and new vocabulary. Older students, once introduced to the story by teachers, will likely pick it up time and time again. Students may also be challenged to ‘add’ additional pages into the story by imitating Bromley Bartram’s illustrative style while practicing descriptive writing and figurative language. Her charming illustrations will not be too challenging for students as the child and animals are somewhat whimsical and not too realistic to be intimidating.

Jessica Bromley Bartram’s Water Water would be a wonderful addition to school libraries, classroom libraries, home collections, children’s rooms, cabins, cottages, yoga studios, and anywhere else where people enjoy nature, serenity, and a comforting and compelling re-read. A definite must-have.