In a program centered around water, Chautauqua’s recent weather has been the perfect welcome to this week’s CLSC Young Readers book selection, The Umbrella Maker’s Son, by Katrina Leno.
At 12:15 p.m. today on the porch of the Literary Arts Center at Alumni Hall, book lovers of all ages can come together to discuss The Umbrella Maker’s Son. The early reader book, We Are Water Protectors, by Carole Lindstrom, will also be included in the conversation today if time allows.
In more ways than one, both selections closely tie in to this week’s Chautauqua Lecture Series theme, “Water: Crisis, Beauty and Necessity,” said Manager of Literary Arts Stephine Hunt.
The Umbrella Maker’s Son is a middle-grade novel that follows the story of Oscar Buckle — son of one of the town’s main umbrella makers — and his family’s long-standing umbrella-making business, Buckle Umbrellas, in a city where it never stops raining. As reliable and high-quality Buckle Umbrellas are, they are also very expensive, and buyers begin to turn to their competitor, Brawn Industries. When extraordinary events begin to hit the city, Oscar starts to suspect their competitors, and with the help of his best friend Saige, he embarks on a journey to unearth the truth about his city’s weather. A tale full of intrigue and friendship, The Umbrella Maker’s Son might just change readers’ views on rainy weather.
“It’s a really cool, magical realism, suspenseful mystery book with a character who is solving an issue that could be tied to climate change,” said Hunt. “It’s looking at water in a really different way.”
Leading the discussion will be Stephanie Dawson, resident teaching artist/arts education program coordinator, and Chautauquan Holly Martineau. They will touch on themes and plots in the book, but will avoid spilling too many details so that those who haven’t read it yet can still participate.
This week’s early reader book, We Are Water Protectors, is a picture book inspired by the work of many Indigenous groups across North America to protect water from the harm oil pipelines bring to their territories. In this vibrant book, illustrated by Michaela Goade, a young water protector looking to preserve the sacred resource of water for her entire village fights a battle against a “black snake” that threatens to put the Earth at risk, and poison people’s water.
“Trying to stop oil pipelines from crossing Indigenous territories to pollute their lands and territories and often break treaties — We Are Water Protectors addresses all of that, but through a lens of a picture book format, so it’s very accessible because it’s meant for early readers,” said Hunt. “The book is all about how all people are water protectors, and how new generations are connected to the water in really dynamic ways and how water really is our source of life. And it’s just really beautiful.”
Following the book discussion, a Play CHQ event will be hosted on the Alumni Hall Lawn if weather allows, where kids of any age can come partake in activities and games related to the books, and get to know other fellow young readers.
