The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig by Jacqueline Briggs Martin Illustrated by Linda S. Wingerter. Houghton Mifflin, 2003. ISBN 0-618-07436-8.

The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig by Jacqueline Briggs Martin Illustrated by Linda S. Wingerter. Winner of the 2003 Lupine Award (From the front book flap) "Radiant, elegantly textured illustrations capture the very heart of this unusual story about a divining rod, a beloved pig, and a quiet girl named Isabel with gifts of her own to uncover. Together, word and image reveal that there is indeed much more to this world than what we see." The book begins My grandfather is a water man. He went to sea on a sailing ship when he was ten years old. He was captain of the big schooner Arundel when he was twenty-five. But he left the ship and left the sea to marry my grandmother. [page 1] ... Grandfather doesn't know how he finds the water. He just knows the stick turns down and can't be stopped. It's a mystery. Grandfather says it's the whole earth talking.

About the Water Gift [a author's note from the book] For many centuries there have been those, including children, who could locate underground water (and sometimes gold or silver, or lost people or animals) by walking across the ground holding a Y-shaped branch. The long end of the branch is called a "divining rod," sometimes a "dowsing stick." No one knows how this works, or why it works for some and not others. For those who love the mysteries of this world, the water gift is a source of wonder and delight. The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig is available as a recorded book from Recorded Books, LLC.  Check it out here.

------ Praise for The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig

Connections and Activities to Try

Cooking with Apples

Apple Pie

In The Water Gift and the Pig of the Pig Isabel's Grandmother makes apple pies with the apples which their friend Lovejoy gave them. My mother, who has lived in Maine all her life, once worked with some friends to make one hundred apple pies for the Governor of Maine to share with guests.

This is my mother's apple pie recipe. Perhaps you would like to try it. (Children should work with adults on this recipe.)

Pie Crust for a two-crust pie

2 cups flour
2/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp. Salt

• Stir together flour and salt.
• Cut shortening into flour/salt with two knives or a pastry blender
• Quickly stir in with a fork about 6 tablespoons of ice water (enough water so pastry holds together but is not too sticky
• Form half of pastry into a ball and place on a floured work surface or pastry cloth. Press to flatten slightly. Sprinkle flour on top of pastry and roll out with a floured rolling pin. Roll from center to edges. If pastry tears it can be repaired by brushing ice water on the torn edges and pressing them together. Roll until pastry is about three inches larger than pie plate.
• Carefully fold pastry in half and set in pie plate. Unfold and gently press into pie plate. There should be enough to hang over the edge of the pie plate.

Filling

• Peel and core six good-sized apples.
• Slice into a bowl.
• Mix together in another bowl.
• 3/4 to 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• a dash of nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons flour
• Pour over apple slices.
• Place apple-sugar mixture in pie crust.

Top crust:

• Roll out the other half of the pie crust. Measure to be sure it is larger than pie plate.
• Dot the pie crust with shortening or soft margarine or butter. Lightly smear dots over pie crust. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over pie crust and pat with fingers to blend with shortening.
• Dribble about 2 tablespoons milk over the flour-shortening mixture and mix with fingers.
• Make a slash in the pie crust so steam can escape while pie is cooking.
• Put pie crust on top of filling and trim so that it hangs over the edge of the pie plate by an inch all around.
• Tuck the overhanging crust under the bottom crust.
• Seal by pressing with the tines of a fork all around the edge.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until filling can be seen bubbling through the cut in the pie crust.

One-crust apple pie

If you don't want to go to the trouble of putting on the top crust you can make a wonderful apple pie that has only one crust. Instead of the top crust put a crumb filling on.
Mix together with a fork.

• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• Pour over pie and bake.

Other Apple Recipes

Baked Apples Isabel's grandmother might have used some of Lovejoy's apples for baked apples. Baked apples are easier than apple pie and very tasty.

• Children should get someone to help cut the core out of an apple.
• Place cored apple on a small pan.
• Mix together about 2 tablespoons sugar, (white or brown), a dash of cinnamon, a few raisins, and walnuts (if desired).
• Stuff this mixture into the center of the apple.
• Pour 1/4 cup water into the pan and bake for about 40 minutes at 350.

Applesauce Isabel and her grandparents surely would have eaten applesauce. Even those who don't cook much can make applesauce. Apples don't have to be peeled or cored. Using several different kinds of apples will make a tastier applesauce.

• Wash apples and remove stems.
• Cut apples in pieces and put in a saucepan. Children should do this part with an adult.
• Add enough water to come up about an inch on the bottom of the saucepan. Bring apples to boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently until apples are soft. Cool.
• Put cooked apples through a food mill.

This applesauce doesn't really need seasoning but you can add a bit of cinnamon and a bit of sugar.