Anna Carries Water

by Olive Senior

Anna fetches water from the spring every day, but she can’t carry it on her head like her older brothers and sisters can. In this charming and poetic family story set in Jamaica, Commonwealth Prize-winning author Olive Senior shows young readers the power of determination, as Anna achieves her goal and overcomes her fear.

Olive Senior Author Biography

Olive Senior was born and brought up in Jamaica and educated in Jamaica and Canada. She is a graduate of Montego Bay High School and Carleton University, Ottawa. “I've been meandering across borders all my life and continue to do so, and my writing career is a reflection of that: I write in different genres - fiction, non-fiction, poetry. I have publishers in Jamaica, England, Canada and the USA. I'm of mixed background racially and socially. I travel a great deal. I live in several different worlds. But, 'If crab no walk, him nuh see worl' and I'm the perpetual seeker.


Laura James Illustrator Biography

Laura James is a first generation Antiguan-American. She has been working as a professional artist for over twenty years. “Anna carries Water” is her first commission for a children’s book. In addition to painting sacred images from various religions, she portrays women, families and scenes of everyday life. In 2013, Ms. James began a fundraising project for 3 churches in Haiti. 14 original paintings will be installed in the main parish church in Sassier. She lives and works in the Bronx, NY.