The trailer for WHITE WATER is finally finished!
Thanks to Southern Peach Production for the great work~
The trailer for WHITE WATER is finally finished!
Thanks to Southern Peach Production for the great work~
Today is the earth shaking release of WHITE WATER!
Run to your local bookseller and grab a copy!
Check out a great review of WW from The Happy Nappy Bookseller, where she says:
I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed White Water. Many times historical picture books are so focused on teaching, there’s little room for anything else. White Water is the best of both worlds. From the seating on the bus to the two water fountains its a good look at the segregated South. With Micheal’s imagination from his army men who cover him to daydreaming in class, the story is also fun.
Thanks Doret!
Young Michael’s desire for refreshment at the whites-only water fountain teaches him about truth and the power of imagination.
Narrator Michael normally accepts the familiar trappings of the Jim Crow South—giving up a seat at the bus stop and on the bus and drinking from separate water fountains. When Michael drinks from his assigned fountain, he finds the water warm and nasty. Next to him, a white boy drinks for a long time, convincing Michael that the white water is superior to his. Michael cannot stop thinking about that delicious white water and comes up with a way to taste it for himself. When reality hits—the same pipe feeds water to both fountains—Michael begins to wonder what other lies he has believed. Strickland’s watercolor-and-ink illustrations extend the story, visually demonstrating the similarities between these two boys. Michael’s grandmother and the white boy’s mother both hold their hand to their foreheads in the heat; the boys sit at the bench with their legs extended the same way; they leave the bus through different doors but their bodies move with the same motion; their drinking stances are identical. Inspirational in tone, this is a strong introduction for young listeners and readers to the American Civil Rights movement.
Michael’s examination of the myths that rule his world should inspire modern readers to do the same. (Picture book. 4-10)
Look for my new title, WHITE WATER this August in stores and online. Books are currently available for preordering. WHITE WATER is written by Michael S. Bandy and Eric Stein and is published by Candlewick Press. You can find out more about the authors here. I’m pleased to see that this title will be distributed by Random House and Walker Books in Australia and New Zealand. It is one of my dreams to see New Zealand. Feel free to contact me for school visits New Zealand and Australia!
“White Water is a wonderful way to give children an American history lesson proving that racism is a waste of time.”
–Bill Cosby“
…Michael’s discoveries remind us that we are interconnected and help us to believe in the possibilities for a better future. I can’t wait to share White Water with the children in my life…and come to think of it, I’ll be sharing it with the adults too.”
–Melissa Harris-Perry
Princeton Professor
MSNBC Contributor and Columnist for The Nation