Humbling. Poignant. These are words that comes to mind for Watercress, a picture book that has received accolades. This autobiographical book with its soft colors and gentle illustrations of common things and a relatable story seems at first understated. However, as each page is turned, the emotional impact heightens to a humbling conclusion. Although this is a story about a girl in a family that has immigrated to America, the various feelings the girl has about her family are something that many, if not all, children have probably felt at one time or another.
This award-winning book does not have a lot of flash that will propel it into the hands of young readers so it will probably have to be guided there by an adult, which is terrific because it may be the perfect beginning to a further discussion about heritage and sacrifice.
Content Analysis:
Profanity/Language: None
Violence/Gore: Report of death of a family member in the past.
Sex/Nudity: None
Mature Subject Matter:
Famine, death of a family member, immigration.
Alcohol/Drug Use:
None


