The Water Princess

July 11, 2016
In a stirring, thought-provoking story based on the childhood of model Georgie Badiel in Burkina Faso, Verde and Reynolds follow a girl and her mother as they retrieve water for the family’s use. Reynolds (whose previous books with Verde include I Am Yoga and The Museum) uses sumptuous violets and golds for the expansive African night sky and grassy plains—both of which young Gie Gie, a self-described princess with a wiry physique and beads in her braided hair, considers to be her domain. Gie Gie claims she can “tame the wild dogs with my song” and “make the wind play hide-and-seek,” but summoning clean, readily accessible water is beyond her ability. Verde’s poetic language reflects the length and difficulty of Gie Gie and her mother’s trek, along with the positive spirit the girl brings to the task. Toward the end, the implicit injustice of the situation is addressed directly: “Maman,” Gie Gie asks, “Why is the water so far? Why is the water not clear? Where is our water?” They are questions that readers will want answered, too. Ages 5–8. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties.

Starred review from June 1, 2016
An international story which tackles a serious global issue with Reynolds' characteristic visual whimsy.Gie Gie--aka Princess Gie Gie--lives with her parents in Burkina Faso. In her kingdom under "the African sky, so wild and so close," she can tame wild dogs with her song and make grass sway, but despite grand attempts, she can neither bring the water closer to home nor make it clean. French words such as "maintenant!" (now!) and "maman" (mother) and local color like the karite tree and shea nuts place the story in a French-speaking African country. Every morning, Gie Gie and her mother perch rings of cloth and large clay pots on their heads and walk miles to the nearest well to fetch murky, brown water. The story is inspired by model Georgie Badiel, who founded the Georgie Badiel Foundation to make clean water accessible to West Africans. The details in Reynolds' expressive illustrations highlight the beauty of the West African landscape and of Princess Gie Gie, with her cornrowed and beaded hair, but will also help readers understand that everyone needs clean water--from the children of Burkina Faso to the children of Flint, Michigan. Though told by two outsiders to the culture, this timely and well-crafted story will educate readers on the preciousness of potable water. (Picture book. 5-8)

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August 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Based on the real childhood experiences of fashion model Georgie Badiel in Burkina Faso, this offering tells one child's story in an unspecified African locale. Princess Gie Gie tries to rule over her domain. She tames wild dogs with a song, makes tall grass dance when she dances, and plays hide-and-seek with the wind. However, try as she might, she can't draw clean water any closer to her home. Instead, the girl and her mother must make a long trek to gather water from the well with the rest of the women. They try to fill their time with music, imagination, and laughter, but the hardship and physical effort are palpable. Despite the daily struggles to get water, Princess Gie Gie never gives up looking for a solution. "I am Princess Gie Gie. My Kingdom? The African sky. The dusty earth. And, someday, the flowing, cool, crystal-clear water. Someday...." Perhaps, someday has now arrived. Badiel is helping to raise awareness and funds to bring clean drinking water to the people of Burkina Faso and other countries in Africa. While the text is informative and poetic, it is the imagery that will stick with readers. Reynolds's evocative watercolor, gouache, and digital ink paintings capture the glow of the hot sun, sparkle in the night sky, and will transport children to Princess Gie Gie's imagined kingdom. Kids will have to look to the author note and elsewhere for more specifics and possible solutions. VERDICT A lovely picture book, filled with messages of perseverance and hope.-Megan Egbert, Meridian Library District, ID

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2016
Grades K-2 Verde joins Badiel (fashion model and clean-drinking-water activist) to create a story based on Badiel's childhood experiences in Burkina Faso, one of many African countries where women walk miles every day to fetch water. In it, the fictional protagonistPrincess Gie Gieand her mother set off for the river before dawn, and they return at dusk. Gie Gie's frustration is evident at first, but it soon dissipates in the romance of the walk with her mother. They sing and laugh and dance, bathed in the golden glow of Reynolds' charming rendition of sunlight on a vast, empty African plain. Gie Gie's questions about her village's lack of water are unanswered, but her day ends with a dream of one day bringing water to her kingdom. Rich purple and tawny hues create an evocative backdrop to the story, while the friendly font softens the exhausting, arduous nature of fetching water. Readers are left to wonder if the power of dreaming can change reality, and inquisitive ones might be moved to look up the true story on Badiel's website.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)