Total Garbage: A Messy Dive into Trash, Waste, and Our World
by
Rebecca Donnelly
illustrated by
TK
Edition
Hardcover edition
Publisher
Macmillan
Imprint
Henry Holt and Company, Inc.
ISBN
9781250760388
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
This middle-grade narrative nonfiction from Rebecca Donnelly dives into the scientific and cultural history of the waste humans produce.
Trash has been part of human societies since the beginning. It seems like the inevitable end to the process of making and using things, but why? Rebecca Donnelly wades into the muck of history and explores present-day innovations to answer some basic questions: Why do we make so much trash? Why are we so bad at handling it? How can we stop it (that is, us) from ruining the planet? She also looks into the out-there trash phenomena like the fatberg—a sewer-clogging floater of congealed cooking grease, baby wipes, and miscellaneous other flushed items. The current record holder for size: 800 feet long and 143 tons!
POTENTIALLY SENSITIVE AREAS
None
Details
Format
Page Count
160
Trim Size
9" x 6"
Dewey
363.72
AR
0: points 0
Genre
Nonfic
Scholastic Reading Counts
0
JLG Release
Jun 2023
Praise & Reviews
Praise & Reviews
School Library Journal
School Library Journal
Library Journal
Gr 4-8-Donnelly explores where trash comes from, who is responsible for it, the environmental and health implications and consequences of garbage, and how we can cut down on it. Our dependence on synthetic, mass-produced materials like plastic and stainless steel is presented in stark contrast to the trash accumulated hundreds of years ago when garbage came from discarded handmade, organic materials. The existence of rag-and-doll men, waste pickers, and mud larks, gave trash a second life while helping those less fortunate make a living pre-Industrial Revolution. Presently, Americans throw out almost 300 tons of garbage a year, but even though it's out of sight out of mind for many, waste does not disappear. The author's accessible text is informative and straightforward but never judgmental. The matter-of-fact narrative makes a seemingly nasty subject fascinating and even palatable. Terms like municipal solid waste, planned obsolescence, and compost and anaerobic digestion are explained in a kid-friendly way. Hendrix's humorous and genuine line drawings add levity to the subject but keep things accurate. The design includes chapter openers and teal font and illustrations, which will instantly draw in reluctant readers. An index is included; other back matter was not seen at the time of review. VERDICT Incredibly, this book makes garbage fun to read about and is a great choice for browsable nonfiction shelves and curricular tie-ins.-Shelley M. Diaz?(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Grades 6-8
Series Nonfiction
Science Grades 6-8
For Grades 6-8
Curious middle-grade scientists will be engaged by these 12 information-packed, well-researched volumes that supplement textbook material and often provide hands-on learning.
12 books per Year
$312.24 per Year
Interests
Clean Books,Nonfiction,Science/STEAM
Grades 6-8
Series Nonfiction
Science Grades 6-8
12 books per Year
$312.24 per Year
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