All the Water in the World by George Ella Lyon and Katherine Tillotson

“All the water in the world is all the water in the world” is the sentence that starts this picture book.  It tells the story of water through a poem, explaining where water comes from, the water cycle, and the importance of water for life on earth.  This is a celebration of water, from the puddles on the ground, to the grand storms, to the rivers and the clouds. 

Lyon’s words match the subject matter, which is delightful.  They drip from faucets steady and slow, they clump as clouds and fall as rain, they flow and dance.  Throughout the poem, the reader is referred to as “honey” which gives the poem a personal and homey feel where it could have been cool and remote.

Tillotson’s illustrations are done digitally and have the feel of watercolor mixed with collage.  Natural splashes of color mix winningly with straight edges.  The illustrations of the desert are also very successful, offering a clear contrast from the blues of water with the yellows of sand. 

Celebrate water and the environment with this refreshing book that explains the science clearly and also lifts it into poetic beauty.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from copy received from Atheneum Books.

Also reviewed by

• Book Aunt
• Bookmuse
• Rasco from RIF
• Richie’s Picks