Dehydrating Book

Portfolio project

Dehydrating Book | Design & Illustration

Most people see the water crisis as a health issue. But its impact runs deeper: without water, children can’t learn. In Latin America, millions of children arrive at school dehydrated, unable to focus or thrive. Yet this barrier to education often goes unseen. As funding declined, Water For People needed a message people could feel. We turned learning into a metaphor and created The Dehydrating Book: a book that disappears when dry and reveals its content only with water, transforming a familiar object into a powerful statement about access to clean water.

Our insight was clear: facts alone rarely shift behavior; emotional and physical experiences do. So to reframe the narrative, we crafted a distinctive visual world centered around Lupita, the thirsty hummingbird, guiding readers through water-scarce landscapes. Inspired by Latin American forms and symbolism, the illustration system brings together characters, patterns, and environments, balancing vibrant aesthetics with an underlying sense of urgency. The visuals and typography extend seamlessly across the book, using water as a trigger to reveal content and turning the act of reading into an interactive experience.

The Dehydrating Book - YouTube Water For People868 subscribers

Over eight months, the Edelman team brought the book to life using recyclable synthetic paper and hydrochromic ink, with each copy sealed in a water-filled pouch to preserve its message until activated. Co-created with students from Peru, the story was shared with key donors and influencers and launched on World Water Day as the centerpiece of a broader campaign.