Just because a book is for young readers DOES NOT mean that the subject matter shouldn’t address relevant, important topics. Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade are two Indigenous women who have joined forces to create We Are Water Protectors, a stunning call to unify and protect our planet and our water.
In Ojibwe culture, women are the Water Protectors, their connection to Mother Earth and her precious resource is pivotal in the fight against resource exploitation (oil drilling), and the negative effects it has on every aspect of the natural world. We Are Water Protectors was inspired (most recently) by the actions taken in April 2016, when the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe stood up against the entities constructing the Dakota Access Pipeline. For Carole and Michaela, Standing Rock was only the latest conflict between Indigenous peoples, and the once-mythological but now all-too-real ‘Black Snake’**.
The two women (from different parts of the United State + with different tribal affiliations) came together, using their talent and determination to raise awareness of what has become a full-scale humanitarian crisis. The result of such powerful collaboration and messaging is We Are Water Protectors, a transcendent children’s book. The symbiosis of Lindstrom’s sentiment combined with Goade’s luminescent illustrations is hauntingly beautiful; you feel personally involved with Mother Earth’s battle against the Black Snake. Indigenous culture and respect for our planet is on full display, and even though there is an omni-present threat, both women can see a hopeful future if there is unity and thoughtful change.
**I implore the adult reading to your child/children to flip to the end of We Are Water Protectors and read the notes from both author and illustrator.
Review by Joel
$17.99 Kid's Hardcover
Ages 3-6
We Are Water Protectors is in stock at the bookstore, you can order it online or call us at (505) 988-4226.