A Cool Drink of Water

by Barbara Kerley

An Italian boy sips from a fountain in the town square. A hiker takes
a refreshing drink from a mountain stream. Black-robed women in India stride gracefully through a field with brass water jugs balanced on their heads. Whether they squeeze it out of a burlap bag, haul it home from a communal tap, or get it out of their kitchen faucet, people all around the world are unified by their common need for water. Barbara Kerley brings home this point simply and eloquently in this beautiful and educational picture book that combines striking National Geographic photographs with a poetic text to show how people in various cultures use and conserve the world's most vital resource.

National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources.
Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Science, Childrens, Geography, Photography, Cultural

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2002

About the author

Barbara Kerley was born in Washington, D.C. and has lived in many places, including Nepal and the tropical island of Guam. She has written about almost everything: 19th C iguanodons, Teddy Roosevelt, world peace, Mark Twain's donkey, and the pleasure of following your curiosity.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled with large photographs from around the world, this photo essay celebrates the wonders of water and shows humans--and even a horse--slaking their thirst with a drink of water. Obviously, water comes in different forms and is more abundant in some parts of the world than others. Author Barbara Kerley makes clear that the water most of us take for granted and even the ice we chomp on each day would be considered luxuries in many countries. She also describes the long journeys necessary in order to bring water home as well as the delight of childen drenched unexpectedly by water. Back matter includes thumbnail versions of each photograph providing additional information about the photo and a note from the President of National Geographic about the decreasing clean water supply. Shockingly, the note says, the United Nations predicts that two-thirds of the world's population will face water shortages. This book serves as a wake up call to conserve and sustain what we have.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeous photographs highlight this book about water. The story itself is short and simple and depicts people around the world drinking or carrying water as well as many different containers for the water. Children can easily understand how important water is for survival and it's interesting to see how others procure it.

The additional information in the back is very enlightening for adults and older children. The captions for each photo gives more background on where the photographs were taken and the editorial commentary about water conservation is both cautionary and hopeful. We really enjoyed reading this story together and I hope that our girls internalize a little more about the need to cherish this precious resource.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published by National Geographic Society this children's picture book is filled with beautiful photographs from around the world. It shows how people around the world get their drinking water. The pictures show people young and old. From an old weathered man drinking water from a thin tin cup (Oregon, U.S.A.) to a child collecting rainwater from a roof during the summer monsoon in Nepal. In true National Geographic style the author explains each photo in a glossary at the end of the book and also includes a note on water conservation. "When the well's dry, we know the WORTH of water." (Benjamin Franklin, 1746)

[Jolynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deceptively simple book with beautiful photographs showing how we get water around the world. The text is very simple, but provides an excellent way to begin to talk about water conservation and reflection upon how Americans take their access to water for granted. At the end there are more detailed descriptions of the photographs with some launching off points to talk about the scarcity of water. Can be used in layered and nuanced ways to talk about water conservation and the politics of consumption.

[Ryan Hercik]

Title: A Cool Drink of Water
Author: Barbara Kerley
Illustrator: National Geographic
Genre: Photographic Essay
Theme(s): Water, water cycle, culture, diversity
Opening line/sentence: Somewhere, right now someone is drinking WATER…
Brief Book Summary: This books has some of the best pictures out there of how water in used across the world. Whether it be from a mountain stream, women in India with buckets on their heads, or simply from a kitchen faucet, the author does a fabulous job of educating children all around the world about water and our common need of water to survive.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: (Hornbook) 32 pp. National (National Geographic Books) 2002. ISBN 0-7922-6723-0
(4) K-3 Dramatic, lush, beautifully composed color photos from the National Geographic Society focus on water use around the world. The brief text about where different cultures go for "a cool drink of water" is jazzed up in different sizes and typefaces but remains fragmentary and ungrammatical. End matter expands on the locations pictured and discusses the shortage of freshwater resources worldwide.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: (CLCD) Children's Literature
"When the well's dry, we know the worth of water." Benjamin Franklin might have been speaking directly to us. The striking color photographs (presumably chosen from the National Geographic Society's files) vividly illustrate the coolness, sparkle, and desirability of water as it's drunk, stored, and transported around the world. Kerley has lived on Guam and in Nepal, where she experienced firsthand the difficulties in some societies of obtaining this basic need of all people. Accompanying text, set in large type, is minimal, but the pictures speak for themselves, from black-clad Indian women carrying the liquid in bright brass pots to a small boy drinking from a boat-shaped fountain in Rome. Picture credits and a short explanation of each are given at the end along with a map of the source locations. For teachers and older readers, John M. Fahey, Jr., president of the National Geographic Society, has appended an urgent appeal for the conservation of this precious and increasingly scarce resource. This attractive multicultural book will appeal to readers and browsers of various ages or could be used as an eye-catching introduction to a thematic unit on water and its vital importance to all mankind. 2002, National Geographic, Talcroft
Response to Two Professional Reviews: This book is beautifully created that captures real life experiences with people all around the world. The reader is directly drawn to the colorful images that depict such a hard topic to understand such as freshwater resources by making them come to life and easier to understand. This book can have an impact worldwide.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: Some of the most beautiful pictures taken describe the struggles and challenges people face to drink water to survive. The setting and emotions of each picture are strongly felt by the reader because of the strong tone each photo puts out. The simple text by the author brings the picture to life making the reader feel what it would be like if they had to go through some of the challenges just to have a drink of water.
Consideration of Instructional Application: We can use this book to learn where different places are throughout the world and what people live there. Teaching about diverse cultures and backgrounds help the student’s understand that everyone is different. We can have them write about a typical day in life for them and draw a picture of their favorite event. And finally, teaching student’s about helping each other and the people around them. When we spread peace and do good deeds for one another the world becomes a much better and happier place.

[Shannon Brasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick read full of beautiful photography that does a fantastic job of educating the reader on how people from all over the world acquire, store, and drink water. I liked the end of this book the most because it had a world map and showed the location each photograph was taken at as well as a little sentence about each photo. As well as, the last two pages where the majority of the information in this book is contained which gives the reader a plethora of information on water conservation. I could see just the photo section of the book being used for younger students then building upon the map as well as the pages on conservation as they age. This would be a good book to add some social studies or science content into the classroom.

[Kaycee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cool Drink of Water is a simple book about the need for water all over the world. The real story is told through the wonderfully detailed pictures. The words in the book are simple but the pictures are what really gives them meaning. It shows the different practices and different necessities for getting the water that people need to live. The pictures are done through National Geographic and have a wonderful composition and wonderful detail. The pictures in this book alone could tell the story where as the words in the book could say the story but there would be no feeling and no detail without the pictures.

[Danette · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Italian boy sips from a fountain in the town square. A hiker takes a refreshing drink from a mountain stream. Black-robed women in India stride gracefully through a field with brass water jugs balanced on their heads. Whether they squeeze it out of a burlap bag, haul it home from a communal tap, or get it out of their kitchen faucet, people all around the world are unified by their common need for water. Barbara Kerley brings home this point simply and eloquently in this beautiful and educational picture book that combines striking National Geographic photographs with a poetic text to show how people in various cultures use and conserve the world's most vital resource.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Italian boy sips from a fountain in the town square. A hiker takes
a refreshing drink from a mountain stream. Black-robed women in India stride gracefully through a field with brass water jugs balanced on their heads. Whether they squeeze it out of a burlap bag, haul it home from a communal tap, or get it out of their kitchen faucet, people all around the world are unified by their common need for water. Barbara Kerley brings home this point simply and eloquently in this beautiful and educational picture book that combines striking National Geographic photographs with a poetic text to show how people in various cultures use and conserve the world's most vital resource.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have become a quick and vocal fan of this series of children's books from the National Geographic Society. Simple text and beautiful photographs from all over the world show how we all have the same fundamental needs.

My seven-year-old read this on her own so many times that when I read it out loud, she recited it with me while she was looking through another book.

The map in the back of the book and explanations of where each picture was taken and how water is needed and handled in that are are great expansion discussions to delve into with older readers and adults.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe it's just because I read this book right after reading A Long Walk to Water, but this book was gorgeous. The images make you realize how important water is and how often we take it for granted. Children need to be aware of how precious a resource water is. This book shows that. It made me want to use water with care and help to bring water to those who don't have it as accessibly.

[Ken Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book is an excellent lesson in how important water is to us. This book is perfect for young children to think about our need for clean drinking water. As a teacher I would be able to use this book for science if I wanted to introduce water. The pictures allow students to observe how people access water around the world. On the back of each page with a picture there are little facts about the picture on it.

[Madisen Justesen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was inspirational in the sense that it made the reader appreciate water. In America we have easy access to water. In other countries people have to walk for miles and miles just to find fresh water. I thought this book represented that very well.
It was also a cute story. It was really fun to read and learn about other countries. It is very educational and I think that children can learn a lot from it.

[Ledys · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful book features full color photographs of people drinking water in their natural habitats all around the world. Our favorite part were the blurbs explaining the photographs at the end, with an accompanying map to locate the places were the photographs were taken. There is an interesting author,s note about water conservation at the end. My kids would not sit to listen to it, but it was fascinating for me.

[Talon Roseland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose A Cool Drink of Water by Barbara Kerley as my Social Studies book. This book would be read by young children because it is mostly real life pictures. This book is how different people drink water from turning on a faucet to carrying jugs on their head, so this would be a great way to show that all people are the same. There is are no content concerns in this book. A Cool Drink of Water shows that even though people get water differently, they still need it to survive.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool book. :) Depicts water and water collection around the world with LARGE photographs. Brief, large text. Good discussion points. Some information in the back about the water pictures. A National Geographic conservation initiative is shared in the back as well, but that was several years ago. Great to combine with some of the newer water pictures books. (Need to add titles later...)

[Guen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is wonderful because it celebrates water. Water is one of the most fundamental life-giving elements. We need water even more than we need food. The book shows photographs of people all over the world drinking water from various sources. It is important for children and all people to appriciate the importance and value of water.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes we take drinking water from a faucet for granted. Most kids wouldn't know how else to get water to drink. This book gives us different ways people drink water around the world. I myself didn't even know that carrying pots of water on your head was real. I would recommend reading this book to kids when they begin learning about water.

[Cara Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good child's national geographical book. I think this may be one of my very favorite ones. It takes it's reader around the world to learn that while all places are different people all over the world drink water. I like that it shows very young children that where they are isn't the only place in the world and that there are many ways of living.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was very simple but beautiful and would show children very well not just how differently people around the world drink water, but how different other cultures from their own. The photography is spectacular and some will even be surprising for children who haven't been exposed to many cultures.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic nonfiction book to introduce the different, but so similar, situations people are in around the world. I love the real-life photographs that are used in this book. I'd pair it with All the Water in the World. I like that the descriptions of all the photographs are in the back of the book showing where each one is from and what is happening within the photo.

[Ashlee Moser · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was a great way to show kids how people get water from all over the world. It was a great way to gain an appreciation how we get water compared to others in the world. It helps you gain a better perspective. It would be a great discussion to ask kids how they themselves get their water compared to other classmates.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

All around the world people drink water. Photographs share where people find water. During the Olympics themed storytime, I shared that athletes need water. Olympic athletes also come from all over the world, just like the photographs in this book.

2016 storytime theme: Olympics
2017 storytime theme: Book Boogie / Water

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

National Geo. photographs are always so up close and personal--I like them. So I liked that those photos adorn this book. And what a great way to show many different cultures with something that every one on this planet needs.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to add to my diversity collection. It is talking about water and how each person gets it differently from around the world. Wonderful and beautiful photos from different places around the world.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book that shows the kids cultures around the world. Where does everyone drink the water. It gives the kids a chance to see different parts of the world and is a great picture book to read aloud.

[Haley Phelps · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! It shows different cultures of the world sharing the rather common experience of "a cool drink of water". Even though everyone drinks water, it is very different in the different areas of the world. SO interesting!

[Breanne Driesel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reason that I give this book a 4 is because I feel that it covers so many cultures and places in such a creative way. We all need water, that is something that is vital to life, the thing that is different is how we get that water. I loved how it showed all of those ways!

[Madison · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one would be really neat for teaching little kids about water. There are so many different lifestyles with so many small details, some of those being how they drink water. This one is short, simple and has beautiful pictures.

[Elsa Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book for those who are focusing on social studies. It is filled with really cool photography from around the world. It really opened my eyes to see how something as simple as drinking water can be so different in other countries. I can see kids really enjoying this book.