Cover Image: The Water Tales

The Water Tales

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Member Reviews

This is a cute book that teaches about the human body and how water effects each part of the body. I really like these adorable little tales.

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Didn’t Quite Work

While I certainly believe the author is well intentioned in writing this book, I don't think it works on several levels. It is unclear precisely the age group this book is meant for, as it is not a picture book a parent can snuggle up and read with a younger child, but the language used suggests it is meant for a younger child. I can't imagine it being a book an early reader would sit and read on his or her own as there isn’t enough visual appeal to keep a child's interest; they print is small as well, which suggests an adult reader.

The book is all about the importance of water and how it impacts different body systems. It contains ten 2- to 3-page stories featuring anthropomorphic organ characters, like Whizzy the Brain or Pumpy the Heart. Each character interacts with a child in one story, with the character pointing out problems that can happen to it if it doesn't get enough water and helping the child appreciate the importance of getting enough water. Unfortunately, the stories come across as a bit preachy and are written in a more telling than showing style… which is not apt to engage. Even though these stories are short, I don't imagine them keeping a child's interest very well unless you're good at playacting your storytelling. As an RN, I thought that some facts presented about the different body systems were a little inaccurate at times. Even though all these 10 stories are connected because they're about water, they perhaps would have been better if each story had its own book with more pictures. That could have perhaps given the author more room for each story, allowing her to show and not tell. All in all, I found myself disappointed with this book.

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This is a much-needed book for all ages, not just the picture book crew! I love the messages here - health, bullying, kindness, self-care. Everything we need. Again, for both big people and their littles.

My only hesitation is the length. Don't get me wrong. I really like the book. It's just perhaps a bit too wordy for this target audience.

I'm always pushing water here with my babes so this book is right up my and their alley. I hope this book does really well!

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I enjoyed this book, I thought that the little stories were good and I liked the characters used to explain why water is so important to the different areas and organs of the human body.

It was a fun way to explain it in more detail and a fun read overall.

It is 3.5 stars from me for this one rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and Amazon – highly recommended!

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First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Michele Wise Wright, and Carpenter’s Son Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

In an attempt to expand our horizons, my son (Neo) and I decided to read this collection of brief stories together. The Water Buddy and Family are apparently the creation of Dr. Michele Wise Wright and help children better understand the importance of water, as well as the key body parts that promote a healthy lifestyle. In this collection, Dr. Wright focuses on the importance of water in the world, as well as within the body. She explores how diverse the body’s intake of water can be, from creating a stronger immune system to aiding in blood circulation and keeping the brain lubricated. These story focus on real-life issues that children have, as well as discussing what certain triggers might be saying, as though the young reader should be able to see the signs. Each story focuses on a single part of the body, something Neo found especially helpful as we made our way through. Easily read in an evening, as we did, Dr. Wright puts it all out there for readers and adds some wonderful illustrations to keep things stimulating.

While I was not sure what I ought to expect from the book, I was pleasantly surprised to see that both Neo and I could read and ask questions of one another throughout. Dr. Wright boils things down well and keeps the jargon simple, yet does not make things too simplistic. While I am not familiar with Dr. Wright’s work or the website to which the Water Buddy and Family play a key role, I can see the book as being a great part of a larger education factor in promoting healthy living for young people. With stories that can usually be read in under five minutes, there is not a lot of filler to get to the point of what Dr. Wright is trying to say. This is key for young people to stay interested. Neo seemed to find most parts educational without getting preachy, which is another key factor for success. Neo and I agreed that we will have a look at the website to see if there is something there we can learn. Here’s hoping other children follow suit and help create a new generation of healthy kids!

Kudos, Dr. Wright, for an interesting book that is geared at keeping children feeling happy and healthy.

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The Water Tales was a bit disappointing. Too wordy and not a good fit for my needs. Do not think it would be and fun read for a child though it would provide some information.

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I received an electronic ARC from Carpenter's Son Publishing through NetGalley.
The concept behind this book would be beneficial for younger readers but the stories don't work. They are choppy and written in a style that won't hold their attention. The illustrated body parts are a bit off as well. The informative text and website links at the end are the best part.

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This has an interesting title and premise, but sadly, the content did not deliver what I expected from the book. I appreciate the lesson this book try to convey, but I hoped the execution was done well. It also didn't read like a children's book.

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This book has a good premise. It didn’t quite deliver what I expected. The stories were short and told how water is good for you and that you should drink more.

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This is a unique and fun way of teaching kids about the importance of water and why it matters. Tim hated the rain because it was in his way, simply because he couldn’t go out and play. Bob hated going to chemo because the needles hurt, so, his tears were because he was scared and lonely. It is a book that educates your kids in an indirect way through stories they can relate to, and of course and it’s fun.

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Amazing way of telling water tales 👍👍👍

A witty and charming way of telling how and why water is essential in our lives and how it plays an important role in ten fun short fun entertaining stories!

The illustrations are heartfelt amazing. The colours used are vibrant and apt.

The stories are just fun I say again. Relatable real life scenarios have been used for each story. Kids will have a lot of fun time reading this as a way of educating ourselves about water in the process.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC.

(Wish this book was already updated at Goodreads. I cannot find it there. Please do something.)

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This book is a collection of short stories about various organ and the importance of water. The way the stories are worded makes it seem like a book for young children, But, the short stories contain several long paragraphs that ramble on.

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Fun characters to help children learn and appreciate the importance of drinking water for their health.

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This is a cute book on a topic I have often talked about casually in the classroom but never formally taught it. This is a great way to formally address it! Thank you NetGalley for opening my eyes to this book and curriculum. I love that there is a website that accompanies the book which is super valuable during this time of virtual teaching.

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The title of this book sounded interesting and so did the premise. I think teaching kids why water is important is good but this was too preachy in a very cheesy way. Rather than seeming like it was written for kids, it felt written by kids and there wasn't any connection to characters/plots to make kids really understand the take away on why they should care in my opinion

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