A Common Thirst

A Common Thirst is a story about the goats, who rule the mountains, and the sheep, who rule the plains. The melting snow in the mountains and the rain on the plains give the goats and the sheep all the water they need. But one year no snow falls and not a single rain cloud fills the skies. The streams become bone dry. The goats and the sheep are challenged to find a new way to live.

A Common Thirst helps children think about the earth-home we all share. When resources are scarce, we are often tempted to withdraw from one another and to horde what we have. Yet when we recognize our common needs and our common stories, we discover ways to share what we have. In the sharing, we find that life is richer than we could have imagined.

Through engaging, vibrant illustrations and lyrical prose, A Common Thirst provides children with a sense of the abundance of life and the challenge of finding new ways to be in community.

About the Author...Gary Boelhower, professor emeritus at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, is an award-winning teacher, writer, and poet whose career has focused on wise decision-making and values-based leadership. For more on Gary, visit GaryBoelhower.com.

About the illustrator... Sarak Brokke has garnered numerous awards for her widely exhibited work. She is the director of the art program and the Community Mural Initiative at the College of St. Scholastica. For more on Sarah, visit SarahBrokke.com.