Review of The Water Babies

Amidst the backdrop of scenic rivers and oceans, The Water Babies is a story of one child’s journey from the dreary and typical world of the chimney sweep to the fantastic and surreal world of the water baby. Though it is presented as a fairy tale for children, I think that the story should also interest adults as well, since Kingsley draws from the work of scientists and other intellectuals in his side notes. The subjects of the many interjections and digressions in the narrative vary from commentary on authors and different books and essays, to references to noteworthy scientists and explorers, to discussions of philosophy and theology, and to every subject in between.

Kingsley’s knowledge of the work of Charles Darwin, in particular, is noticeable throughout the story. Kingsley tackles the somewhat controversial topic of evolution, threading this theory throughout the entirety of his tale in order to ensure that this type of evolution seems wholly “natural.” The parable of the Doasyoulikes is probably the most prominent of his references to Darwin, as the entire nation of Doasyoulikes reverts to mere apes as a result of their own laziness and weakness. On a broader scale, Tom’s moral education can be construed as an “evolution” of sorts. From an immature young chimney sweep headed toward the same corruption as his elders, Tom evolves into a “great man of science” who “knows everything about everything” from “what he learnt when he was a water-baby, underneath the sea.”

Although the educational digressions make this story difficult for a younger reader to grasp without knowledge of the more controversial topics of science references, I think that children can still learn from Tom’s education. In spite of The Water Babies’ serious digressions, its story is witty and humorous, and Tom’s adventures and experiences are extraordinarily entertaining. His keen senses of wonder and awe and his curiosity about the world about him can be translated for children and adults alike.