Let’s Go down to the Holy Well: Children’s Literature as a Means of Saving the Planet’s Water Supply

ABSTRACT

The people of Ireland held, and continue to hold, as sacred their “holy wells.” The literary theme of cleansing upon a journey to the water source also continues well into the present day. To “heal” our current neglectful attitude and mind-set toward the planet, and therefore begin to improve our water supply, we must remember and promote both old and new cultural legends/stories. Accordingly, this paper contemplates three categories of children’s literature which serve to instill a sense of the higher-level need of environmental stewardship within young readers.

KEYWORDS:

• Holy Well
• clean water
• environmental stewards
• children’s literature
• sustainable living

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).