Climate Literacy in Education

The Black Snake

Powerful Imagery in We Are Water Protectors

Sietse Hagen

University of Liverpool

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/cle.v2i1.6217

Keywords: Pipelines, Climate Emotions, Indigenous Resistance, Water

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Abstract

We Are Water Protectors presents a complicated example of the role horror can play in children’s literature. This article looks at terrifying, yet powerful imagery in this book, with its implications for both children’s literature as a form of activism and a critical discussion of the topics brought up by Lindstrom and Goade. I argue that horror functions as a mediator capable of bringing topics such as ecocriticism, activism, climate emotions, and colonialism to fruitful discussions in both elementary and university literature classes.