We Are Water Protectors

“Water is the first medicine. It affects and connects us all.”

This tenet flows through every page of Carole Lindstrom’s We Are Water Protectors, a picture book that reads like an incantation. Each line pulses with rhythm and reverence, calling readers to honor and defend the natural world. Inspired by real-life Indigenous-led movements across the United States, the text moves like water—a lyrical, deliberate, unrelenting refrain urging us toward collective responsibility for our planet. Michaela Goade’s Caldecott Medal-winning illustrations deepen that current, her watercolor blues and greens swirling around images of resilience, community, and care.

Though written for children, We Are Water Protectors speaks powerfully to readers of any age. It is both poem and protest, prayer and pledge—uplifting Indigenous traditions while reminding us that language can awaken action. In its final pages, the invitation is clear: to stand up, listen, and protect what sustains us.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, We Are Water Protectors will be on display in the Young People’s Poetry section of the Poetry Foundation library alongside other works by Indigenous writers and artists. If you find yourself in the Chicagoland area, I encourage you to visit the library and explore the collection.