The Water Princess

Title: The Water Princess
Author: Susan Verde, Georgie Badiel
Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Awards: N/A
Grade Level: K - 3

Based on the childhood experience of Georgie Badiel, Princess Gie Gie must travel a long way from her African village to collect much-needed water from the well. Leaving in the early morning, Gie Gie and her mother carry the empty pots on their heads to the dusty water hole. She longs for a drink of water to quench her thirst. Upon returning home, the water had to be boiled before drinking it. Every day, they would have to make the journey to get water. It is their dream that they would someday have access to clean water without having to travel so far. Water is a necessary resource for life but nearly a billion people around the world still do not have clean water to drink, bathe, and cook. Many children can not go to school because their day is consumed with walking for miles. This is a good book to share during social studies to bring awareness that there are people living without easy access to clean water. Students can organize a service project to help make a change in the world. 

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