A Thirst for Home: A Story of Water Across the World
Alemitu lives with her mother in a poor village in Ethiopia, where she must walk miles for water and hunger roars in her belly. Even though life is difficult, she dreams of someday knowing more about the world. When her mother has no choice but to leave her at an orphanage to give her a chance at a better life, an American family adopts Alemitu. She becomes Eva in her new home in America, and although her life there is better in so many ways, she'll never forget her homeland and the mother who gave up so much for her. Told through the lens that water connects all people everywhere, this eye-opening, emotional story will get readers thinking about the world beyond their own.
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CHRISTINE IERONIMO traveled to Ethiopia in 2008 to adopt her daughter and was deeply affected by the poverty there. Since then she has been involved in many organizations focusing on education and other efforts in Ethiopia. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and four children.
www.christineieronimo.com
www.ericvelasquez.com
"This slim, sweet story will resonate particularly with children missing a previous home." --Kirkus Reviews
"Velasquez's light-infused illustrations capture the quiet dignity of Emaye's grief and Eva's tentative acceptance, and perfectly complement the tender tone of the text . . . This book can be read as one of a growing number of immigration stories." --Booklist "Beautifully illustrated oil paintings bring the words to life . . . This would be a good resource to use while doing cultural studies, especially with younger students." --Library Media Connection "Provides an opportunity for addressing themes of poverty and resource inequity with a very young audience. The perspective is spot-on, and the presentation of Alemitu's culture shock is realistically detailed. Velasquez's lush full-bleed oil compositions offer photorealistic portraits of the story's characters . . . Raises some important talking points for young listeners as well as some thoughtful reminders to appreciate easy access to food and water." --BCCB
