Inthisinspiringstoryofindividualactivism,aboyrecognizesgenderinequalitywhenhissistermuststopattendingschool--anddecidestodosomethingaboutit.Victorisveryclosetohistwinsister,Linesi.Butnowthattheyhaveturnedeightyearsold,shenolongergoestoschoolwithhim.Instead,Linesi,liketheotheroldergirlsintheircommunity,walkstotherivertogetwaterfivetimesaday,togivetheirmothermoretimeforfarming.Victorknowsthisisthewayithasalwaysbeen.Buthehasbegunlearningaboutequalityatschool,andhisteacherhasaskedtheclasstoconsiderwhetherboysandgirlsaretreatedequally.Thoughheneverthoughtaboutitbefore,Victorrealizesthey’renot.Andit’snotfairtohissister.SoVictorcomesupwithaplantohelp.BasedonatruestoryofaMalawianboy,award-winningauthorSusanHughes’sinspiringbookcelebrateshowonepersoncanmakeabigdifferenceinthelivesofothers.It’saperfectstartingpointforchildrentoexplorethemesofgenderinequalityandunequalaccesstoeducation,aswellasthelackofcleanwaterinsomepartsoftheworld.NicoleMiles’sappealingartworkinthisgraphicnovel/picturebookhybridformataddsemotionalcontexttothestory.AlsoincludedareinformationabouteducationandwateravailabilityinMalawi,resourcesandaglossaryofChichewawords.PartoftheCitizenKidcollectionandfeaturingagrowthmindset,thisimportantbookhaslinkstosocialstudieslessonsonglobalcommunitiesandcultures,aswellastocharactereducationlessonsoninitiative,fairnessandadaptability.
