• Age: 8 to 12
• Grade: 3 to 7
• Reading age: 8 to 12

Seen from space, our planet looks blue. This is because almost 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered with water. Earth is the only planet with liquid water --- and therefore the only planet that can support life.

All water is connected. Every raindrop, lake, underground river and glacier is part of a single global well.

Water has the power to change everything --- a single splash can sprout a seed, quench a thirst, provide a habitat, generate energy and sustain life. How we treat the water in the well will affect every species on the planet, now and for years to come. One Well shows how every one of us has the power to conserve and protect our global well.

One Well is part of CitizenKid: A collection of books that inform children about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens.

Rochelle Strauss is a bestselling children's book author, as well the director of education for the Toronto Botanical Garden. Through her work, Rochelle combines her love of nature and passion for stories to teach children about the wonders of the natural world. She lives with her family in Toronto, Ontario.

Rochelle Strauss' profile page

Rosemary Woods is an award winning illustrator as well as a fine artist. She has a diverse illustration portfolio with her illustrations appearing on leading advertising campaigns as well as in publishing. Some of Her books include One Well, Story of Water on Earth, The Lighthouse that Ran Away by Roger McGough and Irish Weather Wisdom - Signs of Rain. She lives in London England as wells as working from a studio in N. Ireland.

Rosemary Woods' profile page

• Short-listed, Silver Birch Award, Ontario Library Association
• Winner, Information Book Award, Children's Literature Roundtables of Canada
• Winner, Green Prize for Sustainable Literature, Santa Monica Public Library
• Winner, Notable Books for a Global Society, International Reading Association
• Winner, Sigurd F Olson Nature Writing Award for Children's Literature
• Winner, Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, CBC
• Short-listed, Book of the Year, ForeWord Magazine
• Winner, International Book Award, The Society of School Librarians International

This beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written book should be read and acted upon by every family member. I hope that it will be available in every school library in the world. The message it brings is critical to all humans and indeed all life on the planet.

Charles Hopkins, United Nations University Chair for Education for Sustainable Development, York University

One Well is a much needed drink for those of us thirsting to help protect our planet's threatened water supplies. Appropriate for children of all ages, this richly illustrated book provides valuable perspectives on the sources of water, value to all living things, present threats and constructive suggestions for water conservation. Bravo to Ms. Strauss and Ms. Woods for a valuable contribution to a subject vital to us all.

Jean-Michel Cousteau, Founder and President Ocean Futures Society, Inc.

One Well fills a huge void...This beautifully illustrated and superbly written book is exactly the tool needed to bring awareness of the life-giving importance of water to a whole new generation.

Maude Barlow, Chair, Council of Canadians, Author of Blue Gold

The facts are as dramatic as the threat of loss.

Booklist, Starred Review

One Well: The Story of Water on Earth

We’ll start with the big picture, One Well, by the author of Tree of Life. Using an approach similar to both Tree of Life and If the World Were A Village (both published by Kids Can Press), One Well looks at water on the earth. Imagine that all of our water came from just one well. How much would there be? Where would it come from? Who would be using it? How much would everyone use?

The book answers these questions and more in an easy-to-read text that would work well as both a read-aloud or for individual use. We learn about the water cycle, water habitats, animals’ and people’s use of the well and water pollution. The author uses simple analogies to explain large concepts, for example, in your lifetime you will drink the equivalent of a swimming pool full of water; a medium-size tree will draw enough water in one day to fill two bathtubs. I learned that it takes huge amounts of water to produce the goods we use daily – 147,000 litres is needed to make one car! The total amount of water on earth never changes, it is simply recycled. So we could be using water today that was used by a dinosaur!

The book is beautifully designed with impressionistic illustrations – done in acrylic – spilling off every page. It is awash in shades of blue, much like our earth as seen from high above. Cities and towns, animals and people mingle with each other around the one well. The pictures really integrate beautifully with the text to create the overall sense of one beautiful world, all together.

The book also includes information for teachers and parents about things you can do to raise awareness of the importance of water. There is an index. Highly recommended for all school and public libraries.

One Well: The Story of Water on Earth

Water has the power to change everything — a single splash can sprout a seed or quench a thirst. This book shows how every one of us has the power to conserve and protect our global well. Contains illustrations; a note to parents, guardians and teachers; and index.