Water in Perspective

Tulika books launched Water Stories from around the world covering water legends across the globe.
This book is now available online.
While the book is for 8 years and above, I didn't want to really wait until then to teach the kids water conservation so I went ahead and purchased the book! Ok, I wanted to read the book myself so I bought it!
So 11 stories, written by 10 writers, with eye catching images- the kids' only complaint was why there are so few pictures.
I have read all the stories but I haven't been able to read all of them with the kids.
Bit whatever I have already done, have been well recieved.
The stories cover various concepts from sources of water to conservation to sharing of water- all of them very relevant to the current context. The water timeline in the end is also interesting and informative.
On Ownership of Water
Who Owns Water, Koluscap and the water monster, Tribute to a King, Tiddalik the Frog- Our states are fighting for water and so are the characters in the story- fighting to own water and keep it only to self. While in who owns water- the concept is covered in the form of a series of steps that converted a depression in the soil to a huge pond full of water and in Koluscap, water is dammed by the evil man from whose land the river originates and in Tribute to a King the King demands the king of the sea to accept is supremacy and in Tiddalik the frog- the glutton from has swallowed up all the water - the concept is the same- water doesn't belong to anyone- it has a power and mind of its own- we are just preservers of water.

Importance of Water
The Green Man, Queen of the World, The Dragon's Pearl- It is often said, never refuse water to anyone. And the characters do exactly that in Queen of the World. The story also stresses upon the importance of the right kind of water in the manner of - water water everywhere and not a drop to drink. In the Green Man- water is depicted as a source of eternal existence- in the way it keeps everything thriving and green near itself. And in the dragon's Pearl- water is a source of abundance and prosperity.

Sources of Water
A Well is born, Hero Twins and Swallower of Clouds- A well is born is written in verse explaining how a well is dug out and how the engineer and the village elder together combine science and experience to find the correct spot to dig the well. In teh swallower of clouds- clouds as a source of water and rain is brought out conceptually against the backdrop of heroes who go and prevent the giant from swallowing up all the clouds.

Power of Water
House of Sun and Moon- Favourite story for my kids- It talks about the power of water and its capacity to hold life within and also a potential to devastate life by flooding.

Bountiful Water
Selekana and the River Goddess- Expounding the fact that water is a source of bounty and without it - it is difficult to prosper.