We Are Water Protectors - Caldecott Analysis

We Are Water Protectors was the 2021 Caldecott Medal Winner written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. It was published March 17, 2020 by Roaring Brook Press. This book tells an important story about an indigenous girl, a part of the Ojibwe tribe, trying to save Earth’s sacred resource (water) from the “black snake” (oil pipeline).

1. We Are Water Protectors - Caldecott Illustration Analysis - By: Lexi Zartman

2. About the Book We Are Water Protectors was the 2021 Caldecott Medal Winner written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade. It was published March 17, 2020 by Roaring Brook Press. This book tells an important story about an indigenous girl, a part of the Ojibwe tribe, trying to save Earth’s sacred resource (water) from the “black snake” (oil pipeline).

3. Style & Media The styles evident in the illustrations are realism and expressionism. Lots of illustrations show the tribe surrounded with water as if it is a part of them. In the first illustration the girl’s hair starts out black then turns blue to represent water. In the second illustration it shows people coming together to protest saving their water which gives a sense of realism. These styles contribute to the importance of saving the tribe’s water from the oil pipeline and what it means to them.

4. Line The illustration’s lines help communicate the importance of water. The lines suggest water flowing everywhere, which alludes to the point in the story where the little girl explains that they come from water and water is the first medicine.

5. Shape The shapes in this story are both simple and complex. The illustrator has simple shapes, but then adds complex shapes into them as well. The size of the shape relates to the importance of the illustration. For example, the shape of Earth takes up two pages to show the importance of what the tribe is fighting for.

6. Color This book uses a lot of monochromatic color with a lot of shades of blue to represent water. However, in this illustration the red, orange and black signifies the evil of the “black snake” that is the oil pipeline. Throughout the book the shades of blue are found to be calming, while the red and black relay a sense of panic and hurt.

7. Texture The texture shows both two-dimensional and three-dimensional in this book. In this picture the turtle is giving a bit of three-dimensional texture with the darker shades of blue acting as it’s shadow. The plants in this illustration give an impression that they would be soft and flowing in the water. The brush strokes throughout the story are very smooth.

8. Composition The illustrations in this book are balanced by monochromatic blue colors with a hint of brighter colors and variety of shapes. The illustrations are proportioned across the whole page, which makes the visuals better to understand. All the illustrations are big and bold, which portrays the importance of the message the author is trying to get across.