Water Day

A joyful picture book from acclaimed author Margarita Engle about a young girl and her community celebrating the arrival of the water man who visits weekly to distribute water to the village.

Water days are busy days,
grateful, laughing,
thirsty days.

A small village no longer has a water supply of its own, but one young girl and her neighbors get by with the help of the water man. When he comes to town, water flows like hope for the whole familia, and everyone rejoices.

Available in English and Spanish

Author: Margarita Engle

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Editor: Reka Simonsen

Reviews:

• “Compelling… Vibrant” Kirkus Reviews

• “Rich… Inviting” Horn Book Magazine

• “Joyous… Lively” School Library Journal

• “A Necessary reminder that water is a resource not freely available to all.” Publishers Weekly

Awards: 2024 Américas Award Commended Title for Children's and Young Adult Literature

“The joyous tone of Water Day is not only a credit to Engle's lyrical style of writing, but also to Sua's gorgeous illustrations. Sua's art form of mostly painted cut paper breathes life into the book—bringing readers closer to Cuba and its people.”

Latinx in Publishing, Amaris Castillo

“Sua’s painted cut-paper illustrations in a rich pastel color palette are as inviting as the girl’s cheerful voice, which grows somber when recounting Bisabuelita’s memories about how the neighborhood’s water has dried up since she was young.”

Horn Book Magazine

“Sua’s rustic, lively, cheerful artwork depicts a vibrant Cuban community with people diverse in skin tones.”

Kirkus Reviews