PreSchool-Grade 2 If we are mostly made of water, will we dissolve in the rain? A boy ponders questions like this one, including his bath-time concerns about going down the drain. What seems to start out as a book about fear of water and overcoming it evolves into much more. The child and water begin to have a magical relationship. Water from the sink spells out his name; waves sing to him. He conducts experiments with condensed rainwater and sunlight, discovering how to clear up polluted waters. Beautifully written, illustrated, and designed, this small gem of a book calls to be opened, touched, and read from its texturally and visually appealing cover showing the boy and a flock of birds at the shore to the rich, color-drenched pictures of the real and the fantastic inside. Capturing the appeal and mystery of water while effectively addressing issues of overcoming personal fear and environmental awareness is no small feat, and this book achieves it

Water Boy, written and illustrated by David McPhail Is a picture book about boy whose teacher tells him he is made of water. This frightens him at first. He imagines freezing in the winter, or popping like a water balloon if his cat decides to scratch him. After his mom assures him that water is a good thing that humans cannot live without, he discovers that he can control water to his advantage. The story ends with the boy hearing the river he is walking by cry out to him. He uses his power to clean the water.
This is a beautiful story, filled with amazing illustrations. It reminds readers of the power of a child’s imagination, and also, that we should take care of our environment. We are made of water, and we have the power and responsibility to keep water and the planet clean. ( )