Regarding the Fountain

Regarding the Fountain: A Tale, in Letters, of Liars and Leaks, by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise (Avon, 1998.)

When Principal Walter Russ writes to Florence Waters asking for a bid to replace the leaky school drinking fountain, he gets more than he bargained for. Waters doesn't simply design drinking fountains. She creates works of art. She also involves Mr. Sam N's fifth grade class in the design process.

Suggestions range from making the water come out in a loop-the-loop to including a wading pool to offering options besides water, such as rootbeer and chocolate shake. To the surprise of Principal Russ, Waters appears to be considering their suggestions--and she hasn't even given a bid yet.

Meanwhile something fishy is going on between the school board president, Sally Mander, who owns a nearby swimming pool, and Dee Eel, the owner of the town's water company. The town's creek dried up a few years back, limiting the swimming options to Mander's pool, and requiring people to buy their water from Eel. At the same time, the middle school was built.

As Waters works with the fifth grade class (all through letters) to find a water source for the fountain, they uncover the truth about both the leaky drinking fountain and the dried up creek.

I'm sure you can put two and two together here. But here's a spoiler alert in case not. Mander and Eel diverted the water from the creek to suit their own interests, and the Spring is now bubbling up under the school. For kids who don't give much thought to water works, the mystery might take more time to solve. Otherwise, it's like a Columbo mystery. We know what's up; we just don't know how it will be uncovered, which is fine.

The way that it's written, with the letters and emails and drawings, it's a lot of fun to read. Plus, it begs the question: Why do the things kids use everyday--paper towel dispensers, drinking fountains, floors--have to be so boring? Maybe they don't! After all, in the end, the fountain includes a walrus, tree slide, swiming pool, and ice skating rink!

The verdict: Nice visual mystery.