Dr. Jane Goodall
Primatologist, anthropologist, author.
“It is a fantastic story, full of magic and adventure. And yet there are all kinds of wise messages, … It’s a book that I think will be enjoyed by old and young alike, and it comes at a very pertinent time as we try to find our way forward after this pandemic and to fight climate change.”
Amor
Age 14
“I thought The Water Tree Way was such a great book, and I really enjoyed reading it. Jai is such an inspiring character, she’s fierce and determined, and I think that she’s just so funny in a lot of different ways in the book. … All of the ideas were really original and deeply magical.”
Dr. Maggie Rizzi
Writer, musician and educator, and retired Superintendent of Schools, Stoughton, MA
The Water Tree Way by Ruth Mendelson is a delightful adventure story, primarily written for children, but like so many of the best children’s books, there is a great deal here for adults as well. It is a bold and deep story full of wonder and action on the surface, and some of the most profound lessons of the ages beautifully nestled beneath.
The hero of the tale is a brave, energetic, curious ten year old girl named Jai (pronounced Jay). Like some of the most beloved children’s stories that have come before, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Harry Potter come to mind, it straddles both what we consider the ‘real’ world and some fantastical elements that take the reader into the worlds of inner life and greater truths. Like the mythic Hero’s Journey, articulated by Joseph Campbell, our protagonist accepts the call to leave her everyday life and embark on a great adventure, from which she returns with a gift for her community. Ms. Mendelson has sure handedly rendered this both entirely accessible and lots of fun for young readers, and older ones alike.