Excellence in pictorial interpretation of story theme, or concept is one of the Caldecott Medal criteria. Tonya Engel’s oil paintings and Gwendolyn Wallace’s words in Dancing with Water tell the story of Kit and their grandfather bringing water to their community using the ancient practice of water divining or dowsing. The illustrations make clear the themes of love, resilience, and interconnectedness that are central to the story. 

The dust jacket sets the stage for the story that Engel creates with her illustrations. There, Kit sits on their grandfather’s shoulders. The grandfather holds a Y-shaped dowsing rod. They both smile at the reader as water dances around them. 

The first double-page spread shows the grandfather and his dog in his truck. The dowsing rod sits on the dashboard. Ribbons of purple and blue encircle the grandfather and appear to be coming from his chest. In the following double-page spread, the grandfather holds the dowsing rod as he dances with the water that has been pulling him in the first spread. 

In later spreads, Kit joins their grandfather on his trips to find water for the community. Engel depicts the grandfather walking through the town being led by his dowsing rod. He and Kit walk in circles waiting for the right spot. In the next spread, Kit and their grandfather investigate the well they dug. Beneath them, a river of water flows. Behind them are trees with pink and white blooms. Now Kit and their grandfather wait for the water to flow from the well. The spread that depicts the water flowing from the well highlights the joy that Kit and their grandfather feel when they find water. In the spread, blue water sprays from the ground over Kit and their grandfather. Kit and their grandfather hold hands as the dog jumps playfully behind them. The land is lush and green. 

But things have changed. The illustrations show Kit and their grandfather waiting for water and nothing comes. In one of the illustrations, Kit holds a shovel while pointing to a brown spray of dirt. The land around them is brown. In the spread following, tall buildings crowd the skyline. Some of the buildings have smoke billowing out of them. The sky is red. Kit holds their head in frustration as the grandfather points to all the new buildings.  

Despite the challenges, Kit and their grandfather continue to look for water. One of the most affecting illustrations is the final one, which contains an author's note. Kit and their grandfather carry jugs of water as neighbors remove jugs from the back of the truck. The two houses depicted in the scene are surrounded by green grass and trees. Above them, four women look down on them from the ancestral plane.  

Engel's illustrations are an excellent pictorial representation of the story and themes of Dancing with Water. The oil paintings evoke the joy and interconnectedness that the community feels with one another, the land, and the water. They also depict the struggles the community faces as outsiders take the land for their own personal gain. The powerful images make this book a strong candidate for the Caldecott Medal.