The Water Princess

K-Gr 3—Before the sun rises, Princess Gie Gie wakes to trek through her dry kingdom, under the wide sky, an unnamed African setting, to collect water with her mother. They make the long journey to the well, balancing on their heads the large pots used to collect the water. The line for the well is long, made up of other mothers and daughters, some of whom have walked even farther than Gie Gie and her mother. The water must be boiled in order to be used for drinking, preparing food, and washing clothes. When Gie Gie finally has a cool sip of the water, she wishes it weren't so far away. She must rest before making the trip again the next morning. The animation brings Gie Gie and the beautiful landscape around her to life. The narration by Yetide Badaki is perfectly matched by the moving score. A description option for viewers with low vision and a conversation with fashion model Georgie Badiel, whose childhood experiences in Burkina Faso inspired the narrative, accompany the story.