The Reading Warehouse

Henri and his parents leave their homeland, Haiti, after they receive an invitation from an uncle to come to New York City. Only able to afford a small, rickety boat, the family sets out in the middle of the night in search of a better life. Out at sea, Henri dreams of what life will be like across the great waters.

Then the small boat overturns, and Henri is placed on top of the boat as his parents drift further out at sea. Overcome with grief, Henri retreats into himself and is no longer able to speak once he reaches land. Encouraged by his uncle and neighbor, Henri takes a bucket and plays on it like a drum. The drumming becomes a link to his past and a conduit for his emotions. Slowly, through his drumming and the kindness of his uncle and friend, Henri learns to navigate this new and foreign world without his parents.

Calling the Water Drum is a tender and beautiful tribute to the resiliency of children and the human spirit.

LaTisha Reddingmakes her picture book debut with Calling the Water Drum. She was inspired to write this story during a trip to New York, where she saw a young boy playing the trumpet with such joy and abandon that it made her stop for several minutes. From there the image of a voiceless boy expressing himself through music took shape. Redding lives in the sunshine state, Florida.