The Water Princess
“You cannot emancipate a woman without water.”
"The Water Princess" by Susan Verde tells of Prince Gie Gie, whose story is based on supermodel Georgie Badiel's childhood in Burkina Faso.
Gie Gie is strong. She can tame wild dogs and make wild grass sway, but she cannot bring water to her village. Each day before the sun rises Gie Gie's mother wakes her and together they make the journey to the nearest well. A gathering place for girls and women, Princess Gie Gie plays with her friends while her mom waits in line.
Buckets filled, they walk back to their village where they use the water to clean their clothes and themselves, boil it to drink, and use it to cook. Tomorrow they will make the trip again.
This book tells young readers of a reality for many around the world without making them feel sorry for Gie Gie or her friends. Though written by an outsider, the book is thoughtful and accessible (playful, colorful illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds help with this) and a note at the end of the book further illustrates this global issue with Badiel's own pictures and words.
Listen to Georgie Badiel describe her life story and her work here:
https://youtu.be/i0B7ss_fIZc
Some Things to Think About…
How do you know that the water you have is safe? Who is responsible for making sure you have clean water?
Where does your water come from? Where did it come from before that?
What do you know about people in the United States who do not have access to clean water?
Why do some people have easy access to water and some do not? How can that be changed?
illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
