Dancing with Water

An intergenerational story about a nonbinary child who learns the tradition of well digging in this picture book about community, hope, and protecting the Earth's water.

As soon as Kit's old enough to ride in Grandpa's truck, they begin joining him to dig wells for their community. Grandpa is magic. He can feel the weather in his bones, and he's able to dance with water. With just a tree branch in his hand, Grandpa sways and spins over the land until he finds a spot to dig a hole into the waiting earth. When the water springs up, Grandpa and Kit jump for joy.

As new hotels and factories pop up across town, clean water becomes harder to find. Sometimes, no water flows at all. Kit is sad for Grandpa--and for Earth. But one day, Grandpa senses that Kit is ready to dance with water too. Grandpa reminds Kit that the energy and strength of their people flows through the water. As they wait and watch for fresh, clear water to flow up from the ground again, Kit recognizes the power shared between themself and Earth.

Author: Gwendolyn Wallace
Publisher: Kokila
Published: 08/12/2025
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.93lbs
Size: 10.11h x 10.29w x 0.38d
ISBN: 9780593617908
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 06/01/2025
Publishers Weekly 05/26/2025
Kirkus Reviews 06/01/2025
School Library Journal 08/01/2025 pg. 72
Booklist 08/01/2025

About the Author
Gwendolyn Wallace is an award-winning children's literature author and PhD student at MIT in History, Anthropology, and Science, Technology and Society (HASTS). Her picture books include Joy Takes Root, The Light She Feels Inside, and the forthcoming Imagine New Suns. Her work for children focuses on Black environmentalisms, cultivating radical imagination, and the past, present, and future of social change.

Tonya Engel is an award-winning artist, mom, and illustrator. Engel's personal, autobiographical work can be found in public and private collections around the world. She has been the recipient of several awards and honors for her book illustrations, including the 2020 Septima Clark Book Award and the 2022 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor.