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13th out of 78 books
—
131 voters
Here Comes the Garbage Barge!
This New York Times Best Illustrated Book is a mostly true and completely stinky story that is sure to make you say, “Pee-yew!” Teaching environmental awareness has become a national priority, and this hilarious book (subtly) drives home the message that we can’t produce unlimited trash without consequences.
Before everyone recycled . . .
There was a town that had 3,168 to...more
Before everyone recycled . . .
There was a town that had 3,168 to...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
February 9th 2010
by Schwartz & Wade
(first published 2010)
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Fun read aloud with older students. It is a longer book so students need a good attention span. YouTube has an interesting video on how the book was made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKag0L.... I showed this first to the students. Make sure you use your New York accent when reading the story. There's one line where the New Yorker says, "forget-about-it" but the spelling is funky so I completely misread it. The kids laughed the hardest at that... I sounded like a baby gurgling. You can also us...more
I'd heard some "buzz" about the illustrations in the book but really didn't know what the story was about. I must say that, while I appreciated the illustrations and found them very creative (Red Nose Studio "puts garbage to good use--by making art out of it!") I really was not a fan. The characters looked a little creepy/weird for my tastes.
As for the story, well, it was very interesting to hear about the "Garbage Barge" fiasco of 1987 in which a garbage barge left Long Island carrying nearly t...more
As for the story, well, it was very interesting to hear about the "Garbage Barge" fiasco of 1987 in which a garbage barge left Long Island carrying nearly t...more
3 likes · like · see review
This is such an interesting book! I have never heard this true story of the Garbage Barge. In 1987 people in the town of Islip, NY had 3,168 tons of garbage that they wanted to get rid of. The genius idea that was carried out was to pile all of that smelly trash on a garbage barge and take it down to North Carolina to dump there. Well you can imagine what North Carolina's reaction was....NO WAY! After many attempted tries of dumping the garbage in several states and even different countries, the...more
I really enjoyed this story! I didn't know about the 1987 garbage barge fiasco and this title does a great job explaining what happened to the garbage of Islip, New York. The author explains why he changed some details and reworked the story. I wish that the story could be considered nonfiction but I also agree with his reasons for making changes to the story.
The book is kind of weird, but in a way that I think young readers will be delighted with. The artwork is created from trash and I enjoye...more
The book is kind of weird, but in a way that I think young readers will be delighted with. The artwork is created from trash and I enjoye...more
This story was about a garbage barge that carries 3,168 tons of trash in the Eastern Seaboard during the late 1980s. The barge begins in the Long Island town of Islip, who is overcome by trash and tries to get rid of it by planning to dump it in some farmers' backyards. But North Carolina turned the barge away as other places did as well; Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Florida, Mexico, and Belize. The barge returns to New York Harbor while the politicians decide what to do with their tr...more
This book is hilarious. It is a great book to teach children about the importance of recycling and reducing waste. It is about the town of Islip, New Jersey in the 1980's when they had 3,168 tons of garbage and no where to put it. It was arranged to have the garbage shipped to North Carolina so it was loaded on a barge headed south. North Carolina refused to let the garbage in the harbor. the boat headed further south. It was rejected by New Orleans, Mexico, Belize, Texas and Florida. The barge...more
While the illustrations in this one are really neat, I found the story itself to be a little akward.
In this highly fictionalized tale of an incident that happened in 1987, the main character, Cap'm Duffy, who talks like a pirate, sets out with a barge full of garbage that Islip (on Long Island) no longer wants or can put in their landfill.
Part of the reason I don't care for this book is because of the weird descriptions of the places they try and ump the garbage, the weird accent of Cap'm Duff...more
In this highly fictionalized tale of an incident that happened in 1987, the main character, Cap'm Duffy, who talks like a pirate, sets out with a barge full of garbage that Islip (on Long Island) no longer wants or can put in their landfill.
Part of the reason I don't care for this book is because of the weird descriptions of the places they try and ump the garbage, the weird accent of Cap'm Duff...more
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Teaching environmental awareness has become a national priority, and this hilarious book (subtly) drives home the message that we can’t produce unlimited trash without consequences. Based on incredible true events, Jonah Winter brings us the flavorful story that starts in a little town on Long Island that has a big problem: 3,168 tons of garbage and nowhere to put it! Enter the garbage barge, who hauls the junk down the coast of North America looking for a place to dump i...more
Here Comes the Garbage Barge is a hilarious retelling of a true story. In 1987, a town in New York decided to ship 3168 tons of garbage to North Carolina on a barge. Too bad that North Carolina didn't want it! They send the garbage-laden barge on to New Orleans, but they don't want it either! 162 days and 5 stops later, the garbage (much stinkier than it was at the beginning) is sent back to the original town. They refuse to take it, and the garbage sits on the barge in the middle of the river,...more
Nov 11, 2010
Marcie
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Marcie by:
NYT Best Illustrated 2010
Shelves:
books-for-boys,
children-s-historical-fiction
Red Nose Studio really does deserve recognition for making the art of this book out of "wire, fabric, junk, and more. Unfortunately I had a library copy and had to take apart the jacket in order to see the details of how it was made. Illustrations look like claymation to an extent. This is a humorous fictionalized account of the 1987 New York City garbage barge that shipped 3,168 tons of Long Island's garbage to North Carolina. The Author's note explains the liberties taken. Reading this to kids...more
Let me proceed carefully here. 1. Here Comes the Garbage Barge is based on the true story of the barge loaded with Long Island garbage that meandered up and down the Atlantic coast, rejected at every port from New York to Belize, during the summer of 1987. 2. Jonah Winter is a terrific author of children's nonfiction. I would not and will not assemble a school library without his biographies of Sandy Koufax , Dizzy Gillespie , Sonia Sotomayor , Diego Rivera , and others.
There's a big BUT coming...more
There's a big BUT coming...more
3 likes · like · see review
Here Comes the Garbage Barge, is a mostly true story about what life was like before people recycled which was…messy…disgusting…and smelly. A little town in New York had too much garbage and the tug boat Break of Dawn and her captain Cap’m Duffy St. Pierre were sent in to transport all that garbage elsewhere, but no one wanted it! They were met at every port from North Carolina to Mexico with a big NO! What could they do?
Don’t let the stinky topic trick you into thinking this is a stinky book....more
Don’t let the stinky topic trick you into thinking this is a stinky book....more
I wasn't sure what to think at first but then it became pretty funny and brought grins & chuckles, while still sticking to its apparent intention and point. Still closer to 3-1/2 but easier to round up.
And once again, like many of the short childrens picture books with instuctional or persuasive intent, it was harder for me to rate. A couple in the past I've been in awe of but that's much less common with these. I don't get to see the reaction of the intended audience and that's really what...more
And once again, like many of the short childrens picture books with instuctional or persuasive intent, it was harder for me to rate. A couple in the past I've been in awe of but that's much less common with these. I don't get to see the reaction of the intended audience and that's really what...more
I actually liked this a little better than I was expecting. The message/moral couldn't be more obvious ('Don't Make So Much Garbage!'), but a little heavy-handedness in this particular case doesn't bother me. Some readers find the art creepy and off-putting and I can definitely see where they're coming from there, but it didn't necessarily affect me in that way. I like the idea that the art was created from found-materials! Super cool. Unfortunately, my copy was a library book so I couldn't read...more
4 likes · like · see review
Love, love, LOVE this one. As a resident of Staten Island, I used to see my fair share of garbage barges, but the story of Mobro 4000 and the trek to find a landing for the trash is simply amazing. This is a "fictionalized" account, but the story sells itself. The art is astounding. I first saw an ad for this in a professional journal, and was delighted when it showed up at work. The puppets and sets are amazing, and kids are sure to pour over the illustrations to see just what is in that barge....more
This has been coming up like crazy on the Caldecott prediction blogs. In fairness, I probably would have given it 2 1/2 stars. It's an intersting story based on a true event. And the topic is especially relevant given the recent oil disaster. But overall, I just don't think it's that great. I usually love real collage art in picture books, and I started off thinking these illustrations were clever and visually appealing, but it's all just a little overdone and a tad bit creepy, especially all th...more
Very cool--this is based on the true story of a New York town that had so much garbage that it had to load some of it onto a barge. The captain takes the boat to port after port but keeps getting turned away. Meanwhile, the garbage is becoming more and more malodouruous. Here is great video that shows how the models were made using a variety of materials: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKag0L...
This is a great book to teach us all about the need to reuse, recycle and, more importantly, reduce.
This is a great book to teach us all about the need to reuse, recycle and, more importantly, reduce.
In 1987 the city of Islip, New York had a problem. Too much garbage! So they tried to give their problem to someone else, but no one wanted to take on someone else’s garbage. “Here Comes the Garbage Barge” is based on the true story of a town that had way too much garbage. It’s a fun story for kids in first through third or fourth grade, with unique and slightly funky illustrations by Red Nose Studio.
Winter, J. (2010). Here comes the garbage barge! New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.
Winter, J. (2010). Here comes the garbage barge! New York: Schwartz & Wade Books.
Grades K-Adult
Assembled garbage and wire and clay figures were photographed to tell the then-famous story of the New York Garbage Barge that, for months, traveled as far south as Belize in an effort to get rid of over 3,000 tons of garbage. In the end, the Long Island town of Islip had to take care of their own problem, and the recycling movement was born. Everyone can appreciate the author's humor (although it unnecessarily edges toward relying on Italian-American stereotypes), the timely messa...more
Assembled garbage and wire and clay figures were photographed to tell the then-famous story of the New York Garbage Barge that, for months, traveled as far south as Belize in an effort to get rid of over 3,000 tons of garbage. In the end, the Long Island town of Islip had to take care of their own problem, and the recycling movement was born. Everyone can appreciate the author's humor (although it unnecessarily edges toward relying on Italian-American stereotypes), the timely messa...more
This book inspired Breakfast and Books 2K10. It was illustrated by Red Nose Studio. The website is beautiful. The puppets are beautiful. The story is good. About a garbage barge that nobody wanted. There is a horse in a boat in Texas, and angry seniors on rafts in Florida. There is a tugboat named Break of Dawn driven by an exasperated Cap'm Duffy St. Pierre. There are shady business men and the statue of liberty plugging her nose. I LOVE THIS BOOK!
I can appericate the "illustrations" in this book, but that's about it. As far as the story line goes it would be great to read to students to help them understand the impact of excessive garbage. I do have an issue with how the author stuck to stero types when a certain group of people were introduced in the story line. I found it very offensive how people from North Carolina were portrayed as uneducated and poor. Very narrow-minded and inconsiderate.
This book was really cute and could really engage some students in their later elementary school and early High School years. The illustrations in this book are phenomenal and could capture the attention of any curious student. One funny aspect of this book is the portrayal of the geographical locations that the Garbage Barge goes to dump the garbage. Many of them are stereotypical and/or slightly exaggerated, but will keep the readers interest.
This is one of the most charmingly illustrated picture books that I have seen in 2010. I love the "trashy" artwork and wish that this book could be a Caldecott contender, but its problematic portrayals of various ethnic groups give me pause. I laughed while reading and then felt bad for laughing because it is littered with stereotypes. Would be lovely to read one-on-one with a child, followed by a discussion of the problematic stereotypes.
This story is about a true event that happened several years ago where a town wanted to ship their garbage somewhere else. The boat taking the garbage could never find a place willing to take it. This book is funny and has great pictures. It would be a good boook to use when talking about not being wasteful and to help our environment. It also include many factual numbers from the event that can be incorporated into a math lesson.
Excellent book to share with students on Earth Day or when teaching lessons on the importance of recycling and reducing waste.
The illustrations were amazing (especially when considering that they're made out of trash), and the charming text complimented them perfectly. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the places the Garbage Barge tried to visit, though I don't think my younger readers will appreciate how funny they were.
The illustrations were amazing (especially when considering that they're made out of trash), and the charming text complimented them perfectly. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the places the Garbage Barge tried to visit, though I don't think my younger readers will appreciate how funny they were.
Aug 05, 2011
Melanie
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Shelves:
children-s-literature,
picture-book,
garbage,
barges,
traveling,
new-york,
historical-fiction,
fact-based
Based on the true 1987 garbage emergency in Islip, NY, this is the story of the 6 month, 6-thousand-mile fiasco that was the New York Garbage Barge. While the illustrations are unique and the story is interesting, picture book format is not a great fit for this story. The story is not suited to early readers of any kind. The author would have done better to fill in the blanks a little more and make it an illustrated chapter book.
Four stars for the AWESOME ART. Wish I knew how it was made. Apparently insde the book jacket there is an explanation. Unfortunately our Bound to Stay Bound copy came WITHOUT the cover jacket attached ... and w/o thinking or inspecting it carefully I threw it away (as I have yet to come up with a usable system for saving/filing/storing book jackets). So that is a :[ on me.
And four stars for the idea of the story.
Though three stars for the execution. It's more than a little wordy.
But that awesome...more
And four stars for the idea of the story.
Though three stars for the execution. It's more than a little wordy.
But that awesome...more
Art from trash. This is the concept that makes "Here Comes the Garbage Barge!" such a great book. It could be used in conjunction with a program that has kids making their own sculptures out of what might be perceived as garbage. Or maybe as part of a recycling program to get kids motivated to do their part to help save the planet.
Too long for a preschool storytime but good for reading aloud to young elementary age kids.
Too long for a preschool storytime but good for reading aloud to young elementary age kids.
I found this to be a very interesting book. I vaguely remember hearing about the Garbage Barge when I was in high school, but I can't believe how far the captain had to haul this junk before finally getting someone to take care of it! Wow! I could see this book being a great intro to Earth Week or a unit on recycling. I enjoyed the illustrations and also the piece at the beginning that tells how they were made.
Very torn on this book. I like Jonah Winter a lot. I like the lesson of the garbage barge and the true story aspect of it. I wish that there was more of how it affected people's view of garbage, how people started to change because of it...and I share the reservations about the depictions of shady characters of other reviewers. That said, I think it'd be fun to read aloud and an interesting topic to discuss.
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Jan 13, 2011 09:29am