Last year, TCS Atlanta’s Middle Grades read “Memory of Water” by award-winning author Emmi Itäranta as part of an immersive project-based learning unit about food and water accessibility. The book is set in a dystopian future in Scandinavia where access to fresh water is extremely limited because of climate change.
One of the final project choices for the book was to write a letter to the author about their reflections, questions, and concerns. To their delightful surprise, Emmi sent back personal letters to each of the students, providing answers to all of their questions about the novel and her experience learning about accessibility.
She noted, “Writers often feel that they do their work in isolation and wonder if their stories will make any difference in the world. Writers often feel like There is nothing more rewarding than receiving responses from readers and knowing that the book has been read and enjoyed. The letters brightened my days and weeks this summer, and I am very happy to know ‘Memory of Water’ gave your students something to think about!”
