Let's Find Out About Water: And About the Artist Behind This Great Book

Inspiration from art is nothing new, but it's been decades since I have been as inspired by the drawings in a children's picture book as I recently was by the illustrations by the phenomenal Richard Mayhew. I had an opportunity to meet Mr. Mayhew—still active at 99 years old—at the opening of an exhibit of his work at the Sonoma Valley Museum Of Art , where my wife Laurie Lauria is a guide.

The exhibit is something of a homecoming for Mayhew: though he was born in Amityville, NY, not far from my New York City home, he taught at Sonoma State University in the 1970s.

Mayhew's "mindscapes" are immersive—hazy, peaceful landscapes that fill the frame with bold colors that conjure space and give viewers a sense of the earth, sky, and water as he sees them. Mr. Mayhew says the legacy of his African-American and Indigenous heritage has been what he calls "inventive consciousness," an inner world that has come to life on his canvases since the 1950s.

As captivating as Mayhew's paintings are, what captured my heart were his simple, two-color illustrations for Let's Find Out About Water, a 1962 children's book by Martha and Charles Shapp. Copies of the book were on display at the museum. No surprise: I needed a copy of my own. I couldn't find a digital or new copy anywhere, so I bought a vintage copy on Amazon.

With just 99 words on 42 illustrated pages, the Shapps and Mayhew connect water to everything children hold dear: families, animals and pets, firefighters, fishing, swimming, and more. Young readers are introduced to the hydrological cycle, the three states of water, and the sources of the water we drink and play in.

Even without opening the book, you probably have a sense of what it looks like: bold line art and flat washes of color, full of the motion of frolicking kids and curious puppies. I appreciated Mayhew's subtle touches, like the diversity of the children in the book's pages. (That said, it's disappointing to note that the children on the cover of one of the copies on display at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art were African-American, but by the time the copy I bought online was published, they had been replaced by white kids.)

Even with that setback, Mayhew's spirited illustrations leave no question that water is universal, something we all need and share. In a world where children are often increasingly disconnected from nature, the illustrations and text create a bridge that encourages young readers to explore and appreciate the environment around them. Mayhew's drawings bring to life the fun of nature, the joy of playing in water, and the importance of environmental stewardship.

Perhaps most important, Mayhew's work demonstrates the importance of communicating the story of water to people of all ages.

It also raises a challenge. Why isn't Let's Find Out About Water still in print? I'd argue that today's children—and the rest of us—need this book more than ever. Consider this an open letter to Franklin Watts Inc., the publisher of the 1962 book, now part of Scholastic Library Publishing: bring this book back. Help us tell the water story to a new generation facing a changing climate, growing tensions over water...and the opportunity to tackle the challenges.

And if you are in Sonoma, California, between now and January 7, 2024, I encourage you to visit the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art and take in the Richard Mayhew: Inner Terrain exhibit for a look at beautiful, thought-provoking work by one of America's great living artists.