l to r: Uma Krishnaswami and Uma Krishnaswamy

Set in a rural village in India, this book transcends borders with its universal theme that celebrates the power of community and rejuvenation of the environment.

Every day villagers would pass through the same weedy path littered with garbage without giving it a second look. One day, a girl notices something small and grey beneath a clump of weeds. Curious, she calls to her friends, “Look! Look!”

The phrase acts as a call to action and is used throughout the narrative to move the story forward. It also signals a sense of wonder and accomplishment. The children pull away the weeds and garbage, and find a slab of stone. As they continue pulling more weeds and clearing the garbage, they uncover even more stones. They call upon their families to help. Word spreads to nearby villages and more people join in clearing the land. Their efforts are rewarded as they discover that buried deep in the dirt are steps leading to an ancient well. The girl’s grandmother recalls stories from her childhood of old wells that caught rainwater and turned the fields green.

Illustration: Uma Krishnaswamy.

When the rain arrives, the well fills up with fresh, clear water, and in a domino effect, the nearby fields that were once dry begin to turn green. Flora and fauna thrive; sounds of butterflies, bees, and frogs fill the air. This transformation is beautifully reflected in Uma Krishnaswamy’s rich, colourful art that accurately captures the essence of life in rural India: there are vignettes of children flying kites, women in saris carrying clay pots on their heads, villagers going to work on scooters, even goats and chickens roaming around freely.

Uma Krishnaswami’s story pays tribute to how communities can work together to rejuvenate the environment. The priceless treasure buried underneath a weedy patch of land allows a community to prosper and thrive. Ancient stepwells in India are helping curb the country’s water crisis, and an author’s note at the end of the book explains the history of these structures.