What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet

by Jess French

In this informative book on recycling for children, you will find everything you need to know about our environment. The good, the bad and the incredibly innovative. From pollution and litter to renewable energy and plastic recycling.

This educational book will teach young budding ecologists about how our actions affect planet Earth and the big impact we can make by the little things we do.

Did you know that every single plastic toothbrush ever made still exists? Or that there is a floating mass of trash larger than the USA drifting around the Pacific Ocean?

It is not all bad news though. While this is a knowledge book that explains where we are going wrong, What a Waste also shows what we are getting right! Discover plans to save our seas. How countries are implementing green projects worldwide, and how to turn waste into something useful. The tiniest everyday changes can make all the difference to ensure our beautiful planet stays lush and teeming with life.

It is a lively kid's educational book with fabulous illustrations and fun facts about the world broken into easy to digest bite-sized bits. Each page can be looked at in short bursts or longer reads for more detail, making it a great children's book for a range of age groups.

Get Involved - Make A Difference!

Almost everything we do creates waste, from litter and leftovers to factory gases and old gadgets. Find out where it goes, how it affects our planet and what we can do to reduce the problem.

From how to make your home more energy and water efficient, to which items can be recycled and tips for grocery shopping, this book is packed full of ideas on how you can get involved to make our planet a better place to live.

This environment book for children has a wealth of ideas for becoming a planet-defending hero:
- Discover shocking facts about the waste we produce and where it goes
- Learn where about our Earth's limited resources and how to take some pressure off
- Your trash is another man's treasure
- Small changes to take your home from wasteful to super resource efficient
- Dive into saving our oceans and super recycling
- And much, much more

What a Waste is one of several nature books for kids written by Jess French, a passionate conservationist and veterinarian committed to protecting the beautiful world we live in.

Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Science, Environment, Childrens, Nature, Earth

72 pages, Hardcover

Published April 2, 2019

Reviews

[Gabriela Kozhuharova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Книгата формално е за деца, но информацията, която предоставя за състоянието на планетата ни, е насочена към абсолютно всеки. Научих страшно много за реалните мащаби и ефекти на замърсяването, както и за начините, по които сме способни да смекчим щетите. Дори и най-простичката промяна на навиците би могла да помогне неимоверно, ако се положи съзнателно усилие. Сигурна съм, че ако сте родител, ще направите голяма услуга на детето си, като му помогнете да се образова отрано за проблема.

[Kristiana Cankowa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Колко често се замисляме за това къде отива боклукът ни, след като го изхвърлим в коша? Признавам си че лично аз не съм се замисляла чак толкова, но тук в тази книга ще видим различни примери за боклук, които правим в ежедневието си и то може би без да осъзнаваме.

Дадени са доста такива примери за направата на боклук и още толкова алтернативи.
Един от многото и глобални проблеми е използването на пластмаса, вярно че в днешно време, почти всичко което използваме и купуваме навън съдържа пластмаса, но и тук е намерен алтернативен вариант. От нас се иска само да осъзнаем колко е вредна за нас, за земята и за животните и разбира се може да си намерим заместители.

Пластмасата е толкова опасна защото тя не може да се разгради, най-застрашени са морските създания, които бъркат парченцата пластмаса с храна или пък след като бъде изхвърлена в океана те направо се заплитат в нея.

Както казах авторката ни дава много примери от ежедневието като например видовете замърсяване - било въздушно, шумово, светлинно и други. След това преминаваме през земните ресурси, тяхното изчерпване и възстановяване и други.
Книгата съдържа в себе си и много факти, статистики и разнообразна информация като влиянието на модата в произвеждането на вреден боклук и как може да го направим да бъде полезен.

Всички тези неща са придружени с голям набор от снимки и различни рисунки.
Радвам се че прочетох книгата, защото тези статистики които прочетох за боклука и които всъщност повечето са свързани с ежедневието ме накараха да се замисля, колко наистина е ГЛОБАЛЕН проблема с боклука.

Да, много по-лесно е да си отворим прозореца и да си изхвърлим боклука и да не се занимаваме повече, но така не е редно. Първо е грозно, второ - нарича се боклук защото е остатък от нещо и вече е като замърсител. Замърсител които влияе зле на нас хората, на животните, на природата и като цяло на земята. Всички неща са свързани затова трябва да се замислим как може да си помогнем, около нас да бъде по-чисто, да бъдем по-здрави, природата, животните и самата ни земя да бъдат по-здрави.
Не казвам че ще успея успешно да започна да спазвам всички алтернативни примери дадени в книгата, но това не значи че не мога да се опитам да направя и да си намеря удобни начини с които да помогна за този глобален проблем.
И все пак една птичка, пролет не прави, трябва всички да се замислим и малко по-малко да започнем да работим за отстраняването на проблема!

" Отпадъците са всичко онова, което изхвърляме. Всяка наша дейност произвежда някакви отпадъци. Те са част от живота, който водим. Въпреки това е важно да се уверим, че не създаваме излишни отпадъци."

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Благодаря Ви, за отделеното време!!!

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

Британското издателство Dorling Kindersley (известно повече като DK) има повече от богата традиция в илюстрованите научни издания за читатели от всички възрасти. От енциклопедии и пътеводители до всевъзможни картинни справочници, DK са истински специалисти в качествения синтез, оформление и представяне на фактите. Вниманието към детайлите е поразително дори когато изданията са посветени на фантастични или забавни теми като комикс герои, научна фантастика или LEGO, та какво остава за случаите, в които авторите са решили да разнищят някоя наистина важна и наболяла тема каквато е световното замърсяване и съдбата на тоновете отпадъци, които човечеството неуморно и неизменно генерира всеки ден. Точно такава книга е „Къде отива боклукът? Отпадъци, рециклиране и грижа за нашата планета” на Джес Френч, която за наша огромна радост излезе и на български като част от каталога на изд. „Ракета”. Това не е нито просто детска книга, нито пък строго семейно четиво. „Къде отива боклукът?” ще отвори очите на много читатели от всички възрасти по редица важни теми, засягащи всички нас и бъдещето на света, в който живеем. И за да докажат, че застават зад всяка дума, написана вътре, издателите дори са се погрижили книгата да бъде направена от устойчиво добити материали и растителни масла! Прочетете ревюто на „Книжни Криле”:
https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/202...

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Waste is a fantastic non-fiction book about protecting our planet. I will definitely have this book in my classroom and it could easily be adapted to use in any year group. Each page is colourful and interestingly laid out with lots of short sections of information. Children could use the contents page to find the pages related to what they are learning about or interested in. The information is also very visual, for example, part of pictures blocked out to show how much is wasted. The book could be looked at as a whole class, maybe for a reading comprehension activity, or just in the reading area for children to explore individually or in small groups. Even the book itself says it has been produced with responsibly sourced materials which helps to show how important it is.

[Julianna Jancuski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this informational text, facts about waste, pollution and our environment are throughout the book. The author starts the book by telling the reader that humans are creating more waste than ever and challenges the reader by saying the power is in our hands to make a difference. It is visually engaging and detailed, it details about different types of waste and what we can do to make a difference. I really enjoyed that it discusses how different items break down. There were types of waste I wouldn’t have even thought of such as food waste, electronic waste, and hospital waste.

I think it would be really cool to have each student focus on a different section of the book and create their own graphic, each student could share their section with the class so that most topics got shared with the whole group! I think another activity students could do is after reading this book they could write a paragraph about what they learned about waste and how they can make a difference!

This is a WOW book for me because of how much information is in the book. I learned so much about different types of waste, some of which I had never heard of. I think it is so important to teach children about our environment that we should want to keep it clean and healthy and that we can make a difference just by doing small things!

[Kristen LeBlanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

'What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet" is an excellent book that is informative and visually keeps the reader's eye moving across each page. The illustrations appear to be layered collages with bright coloring to also draw the reader in to the importance of the content. Jess French draws awareness to how humanity is "trashing the planet" with its "throw away culture" by organizing the book in such a way that could be taught part by part, depending on what an educator might be teaching their class. Graphics, actual photographs, and chunks of information make French's approach to showing how people can revert the damage done to the Earth, as well as explaining what has caused issues in nature, due to various types of pollution, loss of Earth's resources, and deforestation. More of an instructional type book, "What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet," is not a book every educator needs to have, but it is definitely worth a look and read. I am personally all about bringing awareness to others of pressing issues that effect the every day lives of both humanity and the creatures that call the Earth their home.

[Borislava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Горещо препоръчвам за деца и за възрастни. Екология, поднесена на разбираем език, с великолепни насоки как да редуцираме боклука в живота си, да изхвърляме разделно и да рециклираме. Вредата от замърсеността на въздуха, която отнема по 7 млн живота годишно и намаля коефициента ни на интелигентност. Космическият боклук. Замърсяването в реки и океани. Вездесъщата пластмаса. А вие знаехте ли например, че почти половината от боклука в Голямото тихоокеанско сметище се състои от изхвърлени от рибари мрежи? И че е с размер колкото три пъти площта на Франция?! Жестоко е колко малко знаем. Винаги съм смятала, че е крайно време и България да вземе решително отношение към образованието на деца и на възрастни по отношение на боклука, а не да разчита на неправителствени организации за това. Крайно време е наистина да имаме достатъчно добри разяснителни кампании как да живеем в по-голямо съзвучие с природата, за да не отровим напълно и нищожния 1% питейна вода в света ни. Или поне да научим повече как трябва да разделяме боклука си, за да има шанс за рециклиране. Все отнякъде трябва да се почне.
Книгата е великолепна наистина. Препоръчвам!
Вече и с въпросник в Книговище.

[Lara Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book to create deep discussions on the environment, how humans are impacting it and what we can do to benefit the planet. Would highly recommend.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read with my 7 year old. Good conversation starter about environmental issues. Nice illustrations.

[Charlotte Yardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this a fantastic book for young children. The layout breaks the boundaries of how books are usually written. I love the facts that are included throughout, with many of them being ones that I had not heard of myself.
This would be great to introduce a topic, either science or geography and can include many cross - curricular links such as English, Art and even Maths. However, this book would also interest a child looking for something to read by themselves.
The bright colours on every page keeps readers interested and engaged.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, visually engaging and appropriately detailed book covering all sorts of waste & how we can minimise it.

[Lynette Camerlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would rate. "What A Waste," by Jess French 5 out of 5 stars. This informative book teaches children all the good and the bad that they need to know about taking care of their environment. This book provides children with various ways of how they can keep their environment clean and safe while also including facts on what would happen if they did not acknowledge their actions and how it would negatively affect their environment/planet Earth. The book discussing many important environmental topics from pollution, recycling, and renewable energy, this book can motivate students to make changes in their daily live that could make a great difference for our planet and environment. Taking small steps of change can encourage students to do even more when wanting to keep our planet/environment healthy for the endurable future. I would utilize this book as a whole-class read aloud and provide it as an individual book for independent/silent reading. When using this book as a whole-class read-aloud, I would make a lesson that allows students to interact with their families at home, asking them what could they do around the house that could help our environment stay clean and healthy. For example, students can report back to the class and their peers saying that they started recycling or stopped using paper plates and plastic utensils, or they started a compost garden, etc. What I really like about this book which is important to mention to students when reading the story to them and/or having them read on their own is that the book was made from recycled and responsibly sourced materials. The book is just as environmentally friendly as the information it provides to students on the inside.

[Rhyllis Bignell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC and it's another fabulous fact-filled DK book that explores what to do with waste. Tons of great information, set out in an easy to read format, dealing with environmental issues.

Vet and author Jess French introduces this thought-provoking information book ‘What a Waste’ with ‘humans are now producing more waste than ever before and our planet is suffering’ and presents a challenge ‘the power to make a positive change is in our hands.’

Presented with current facts, figures, graphic representations, photographs, dialogue boxes in the vibrant DK style, many environmental issues are explored. Did you know ‘92% of the world’s people are breathing polluted air?’ Discover why we need forests and learn about the threat to the orangutan population with the loss of their habitat. Deforestation and land clearing are major problems with 15 billion trees cut down each year.

The site of ‘The Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ in the north Pacific Ocean contains plastic rubbish that weighs as much as 500 jumbo jets. Simple but effective solutions are shown as well to reduce plastic in the ocean, take three for the sea by removing rubbish on beach visits, organise your own clean-ups and join in International Coastal Clean-up Day.

Each spread includes clearly defined explanations, questions and ways children, students, families and communities can assist in recycling, reducing waste and protecting our environment. E-waste, food waste, water waste and industrial waste are key areas of concern. Bold statements and facts presented as percentages – 45% of lettuce in the UK is thrown out provide interesting talking points for environmental science lessons.

‘What a waste’ is another visually outstanding DK information book which presents current environmental concerns and shows how people are developing solutions, giving hope for the future. Jess French encourages us all, including younger readers to speak up, be a plastic-free family and make positive changes.

[Fotis Koutoulakis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is horrifying.

Read this to get a quick idea of the damage we’re doing to the environment.

[Bailey McKellip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Title: What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting Our Planet
Author: Jess French
Book Level: LG
Reading Level: 3.9
Book summary: This book talks about how each of us can actively help protect our planet by reducing the amount of waste we have and learning how to recycle.

Bookshelf Mentor Writing Trait:
Organization/Presentation: This book instantly grabs the reader's attention through the bright colored pages filled with pictures and text. This book doesn't follow a traditional layout but instead uses text boxes to support the illustrations. Students will learn through a sequence of illustrations and text boxes how they can make an impact on the planet.

I would use this book as a content coursebook in science where students are learning about the environment. A couple of different activities that I would use with this text is Question-Answer Relationships where students will have to answer questions from a variety of categories. These questions will require students to use the mentor text to answer them as well as additional research and self-reflection on how they can make an impact on our planet. This would also be an excellent text for students to use Double-Entry Journals where students can complete writing prompts from facts and quotes they learned about in the book. As the teacher, I can create an anticipation guide prior to students reading this book or students can create Semantic Feature Analysis as they read about new topics.

[Charlotte Cundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is informative book about recycling and protecting the environment that is aimed for children. It is a must have for the classroom library that can be adapted for both KS1 and KS2 as appropriate. The book is organised well and has appropriate illustrations to the topics accompanying the text. Children can learn to use the contents page in order to find the topic they are looking for. There are a lot of facts in this book, but they are not too vocabulary heavy and therefore children are able to read it independently. This would be a good book for students to use for a class project on the environment or waste. Each student or group could take one section and produce a poster or fact file. Children would need to have a good grasp of reading before attempting this book alone but would be a good challenge with assistance from the class teacher or more advanced student. There are a combination of illustrations and actual photographs in collage style layers which is affective in showing the importance of the message.

[Amy Van Deventer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great non-fiction book and is displayed in a wonderful way. It opens up the world of recycling for children and how they can make improvements, it also has many great inferences about the environment whilst also teaching the children about how our actions affect the planet, good and bad. It has fantastic illustrations and loads of fun facts all broken down into small accesible chunks so it is not overwhelming. I believe this book can be used throughout all the years and will be a great tool for any teacher to have in their classroom.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The earth is on fire! Pass it on!

[Chrissie Baaklini · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet" by Jess French is a compelling and informative non-fiction book that delves into the critical issue of waste management and environmental conservation. The primary genre of the book is educational non-fiction, aimed at engaging readers with important environmental concepts and encouraging action towards a more sustainable future.

The book provides a comprehensive overview of various aspects related to waste, recycling, and their impact on the planet. It covers topics such as the history of waste disposal, the importance of recycling, the environmental consequences of waste pollution, and practical tips for reducing waste in daily life.

One of the primary themes of "What a Waste" is the urgent need for environmental stewardship and collective action to address the growing challenges of waste management. Through clear explanations and engaging visuals, Jess French highlights the interconnectedness of human activities and their impact on the environment, emphasizing the importance of responsible consumption and waste reduction.

Reflecting on this book, I was impressed by its ability to present complex environmental issues in a clear and accessible manner. Children reading this book can learn valuable lessons about sustainability, recycling practices, and the importance of taking care of our planet. The book also provides practical activities and tips that readers can implement, making it a valuable resource for educators and parents looking to teach environmental responsibility.

"What a Waste" was a WOW book for me because of its impactful message and effective communication of environmental concepts. Jess French's writing style is engaging and informative, utilizing straightforward language without sacrificing depth or detail. The book employs various literary devices such as anecdotes, statistics, and visual aids to reinforce key points and enhance reader comprehension.

In terms of bias, "What a Waste" strives to present a balanced and factual view of waste management and environmental issues. The author avoids sensationalism or exaggeration, instead focusing on providing evidence-based information and practical solutions. The book acknowledges the complexity of environmental challenges while also inspiring hope and action through positive examples and success stories.

Analyzing the social, political, historical, and cultural contexts of "What a Waste," we can see how it reflects broader societal concerns about sustainability and environmental conservation. In an era marked by increasing awareness of climate change and pollution, the book contributes to ongoing discussions and initiatives aimed at promoting environmental literacy and responsible citizenship.

Overall, "What a Waste: Trash, Recycling, and Protecting our Planet" is a thought-provoking and timely book that addresses crucial environmental issues with clarity and relevance. Its educational value, engaging presentation, and commitment to factual accuracy make it an essential resource for readers of all ages, empowering them to become informed advocates for a cleaner and healthier planet.

[I _teach_muggles · Rating 5 out of 5]

DK regularly produce high-quality non-fiction books which make the big topics accessible to little people and this read is no exception. We would like to think of our planet Earth as a beautiful and clean place but the truth is we are surrounded by rubbish and it is all our own fault! We have become a throwaway, single use society and that is creating a huge problem with rubbish.

Jess French’s book is a wonderfully insightful and sad read. Illustrations, diagrams, photos, captions and text boxes highlight the startling reality of the problem with waste. All manner of topics are explored from Pollution to Landfill to Oceans to Space Waste. French leaves no waste stone unturned. The use of statistics is brilliant - they both shock and inform. Did you know that every year we produce enough rubbish to fill a line of lorries going around the world 24 times? Or that 92% of the world’s population are breathing dirty air? How about there are over half a million pieces of rubbish floating in space? Have you heard that a plastic straw takes 200 years to break down? What about the massive ‘Rubbish Island’ that is floating about in the Pacific Ocean and weighs the same as 500 jumbo jets?

So it is clear that there is a huge problem with waste and something must be done. The good news is that there are lots of things that we can do right now to help reduce the problem. People around the world are doing incredible things. A community in Paraguay have made musical instruments out of rubbish and now they play their music to the world. Ocean and beach clean-ups take place regularly around the world. Slowly people are making the change to more eco-friendly items; bamboo toothbrushes, paper straws, beeswax wraps and stores where you can refill your own pots and only buy what you want are all becoming more widely used. Some people are doing an incredible job of reducing the amount of waste they produce and these people lead what is known as Zero Waste Lives. These people produce so little waste over the course of a year that it is actually hard to believe it’s true. Creative people have made businesses out of other people’s trash. These people up-cycle ‘rubbish’ and turn trash into treasure.

What can you do to get involved and help? The easy thing to do is to follow the three R’s - Reduce what you use, Reuse what you must use, Recycle what you can not reuse. This is just the start, Jess French’s book has lots of fabulous and important things you can do. Everything we do can make a difference, no matter how big or small.

An engaging and informative book that highlights the reality of the problem with rubbish. We can clean up now or face the prospect of renaming Earth. If we don’t change our ways we may well be saying welcome to ‘Garbage Planet’ in 2050.

Recommended for 7+.

[Nicole Nikolova]

“Къде отива боклукът?” уж е книга за деца, а пък ми се струва, че е редно да присъства във всеки дом. Защото, ако имаме поне обща култура по въпроса какво се случва с боклука ни и къде отива той… щяхме да сме малко по-отговорни с отпадъците, които генерираме. 


До сравнително скоро и аз не се замислях много-много за отпадъците. При все, че събирам разделно от години, някак си смятах, че това е достатъчно. И то не е малко. Просто трябва да се вземат предвид някои неща. 


Като например, че общият процент на боклуците, които могат да се рециклират, е твърде малък. И че рециклирането по принцип е скъп процес, който също изисква ресурси. Но все пак е доста по-добър избор от това да изхвърлим всичко на бунището. 


Знаете ли, че боклуците всъщност… не изчезват? Лесно е да спрем да мислим за тях, след като ги пуснем в контейнера, а след това боклукчийският камион ги прибере. Щом ги няма, значи не съществуват. 


Да, но не! Боклукът се събира на много места, на все по-големи и по-големи бунища. Уж далече от градовете, но те и градовете така се разрастват, че бунищата се приближават все повече. А те са опасни за здравето не само на хората, но и на околната среда. В бунищата се образува много метан, който е отговорен за разкъсването на озоновия слой. От боклука се оттичат и течности, които преминават в подпочвените води и се оттичат в реките. 


Има обаче един голям проблем, и той е… че много малка част от боклука, който се изсипва ежедневно, идва от домакинствата. Много повече отпадъци идват от различни фабрики, предприятия и големи корпорации. 


Но пътят към промяната е да се действа и да се говори. Можем да променим нагласата на хората, като им споделяме какво знаем и сме научили, като подскажем как биха могли да променят действията си. И то не изисква много. 


Например не трябват кой знае какви усилия, за да изхвърлиш старите си дрехи НЕ в контейнера за битов отпадък, а да ги сложиш в някой контейнер за рециклиране и препредаване на текстила (например TexCycle), има ги на много места. 


Промяната е възможна, но след като сме информирани за ефектите от нашите действия. “Къде отива боклукът?” е чудесна крачка в правилната посока. 

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Всички мои ревюта четете в блога Catwolf's Writings 👉 линк в профила.

[Scout Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading to find books for my kids' educational camp on climate change. I accidentally saved the best for last - this book was amazing!

This book is written for a younger audience (10 and under), which is good. Each page goes through a concept like pollution, and explains the basic details about it.

This is the type of book I could see having the topic on the page (e.g. pollution & types of pollution), where I would read a bit of the page but then talk about the main concepts on my own without reading it word-for-word.

The illustrations are excellent, and really add to the information display. The colours, fonts and design are excellent, great for kids (bright colours, playful fonts).

There are tons of intricate details (e.g. about things like electronic waste) as well as broader big-picture concepts. This book has an excellent mix of both. This book has fun facts, and answers questions a lot of books/children's material generally doesn't (e.g., where does our poop go?).
Even better, the book offers a few ways kids can help at the end + a glossary of useful words.

This is a fantastic book for kids who want to get introduced to environmental issues like waste & climate change. I'm so happy books like this exist and are available as a resource to educate kids. Overall, a stellar production from writing, illustrating, and even publishing the book (it's made with more eco-friendly inks/materials). Truly deserves a full 5-star rating!!

I will definitely be using this book at my camp!

I would recommend for kids 5-12. The reason the age range is so large is because parents could read a few pages at a time to younger kids and explain/discuss the concepts, while older kids closer to 12 could read the book on their own and understand everything without an adult. It's difficult to achieve this in one book, but I think the author did a great job.

[Payson Rigsbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Waste by Jess French is WOW, a wonderful informational text for grades 3-5. In honor of Earth Day last week, I was looking for a text that celebrated the earth. What a Waste does exactly that! It not only tells you why we should protect the earth but how we can protect the earth. The topics range from pollution to conservation to all types of waste. It really is a comprehensive book about all things waste.

I will definitely use this book in my future classroom because of the wonderful details it includes! One way I would use this book is to create a scaffolded reading lesson. I love how it has a central dialogue throughout the book, but it also has so many smaller anecdotes too. I would have students create a concept map graphic organizer to go along with the scaffolded reading lesson so they could summarize all of the good information throughout the book. I would also use this book for a science lesson. It is a fun way to get students thinking about reducing waste as well as recognize the impact that they have on their environment.

This book was a WOW book for me because of how detailed and comprehensive it is. It doesn’t just focus on one aspect of environmental waste, it truly covers all areas of it. I also loved how practical it was. While it did a great job of informing the reader of all the ways the environment is affected by waste, it also gave many practical ways to reduce waste. After reading this book, I am going to use one of my old t-shirts to create a reusable bag! The final reason it was a wow book for me was that it showed how much power humans have over the environment. The decisions we make daily really do impact our community and if we are more conscious about those decisions, we can make a positive impact on our world! I think students in grades 3-5 can really benefit from a book like this!

[Jacey Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What A Waste” by Jess French is an educational book to teach children about the Earth and the big impact we make on it. The novel navigates through issues of waste, pollution, polluted air, earth’s resources, the atmosphere, deforestation, conservation, animals, and more. While describing the different problems caused by the little things we do in our daily lives and how to earth is affected, the book also provides ways we can help out the planet. Ways to protect forests, oceans, animals, plants and minerals. Jess French has written several nature and planet books for children all showing her passion for protecting the world we live in.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was something different that children’s books don’t normally cover. The illustrations and diagrams beautifully encompassed the different parts of the planet, and issues occurring. One of my favorite illustrated pages was when the book was discussing earth’s resources, and the different parts of fossils, plants, water, and minerals. There is a lot of information put into just one book, so I think this book can be read a few pages at a time, or just used for a specific topic, or if a student takes interest they can read the whole book and I believe that is beneficial to have that flexibility.

This is a great book to read around the time of Earth Day, or any day involving the earth’s surface in the classroom. Students can learn more about their affects on the planet they don’t realize and how to help out. Paired with the book, teachers can offer activities or a checklist of different practices students can take with them at home to help the planet and see how many they were able to do by the end of the week. Not doing anything as a class, but solely having this book in the classroom library for students to take interest in can be very beneficial.

[Jessi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book "What a Waste" is a nonfiction informational text about the effect waste has on our planet. This book draws you in with the design of the front cover and makes you want to look inside. The book goes over what the effect of waste has on humans, animals, the air and just our world as a whole. It allows students to understand what it means when people say waste is harming their planet. This book is an appropriate read aloud for all grades because the more aware they are about harming the environment the more likely they are to notice when it is happing and trying to prevent it. Students in upper elementary grades would benefit from reading this book independently. There are more words on the page than I expected to be but it is still manageable for upper elementary students to read independently. I think the most appropriate grade level for students to read this independently is 3rd grade with some guidance and 4th and 5th grade alone. So the range is (3rd-5th grade). But it is like I said before an appropriate read around for all grades because it has some good information. I could use this book for my own benefit in the classroom and explain to students the importance of picking up trash around my classroom so that it stays clean as well as also have the students recycle in my classroom. Lastly I could have the students remake a useable item from what others would consider to be trash. That way students understand how to be creative and remodel items for different use. Overall this book is important to be used in elementary grades because it can create awareness on saving the world that students live in. It can inspire students to do what is needed to keep the world clean and improve the environment.

[Ashlyn Littlefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that would be great for 1st graders to read and look at. It is an informational nonfiction book that talks about the effects of pollution and waste on our planet and ways that we can better protect it. If I were to use this book to teach 1st graders about recycling, pollution, and ways that we can protect our planet, I would first have a vocabulary lesson about what "waste" and "pollution" are. I would have a brainstorm chart where I would write what students think that they know about pollution and waste. This way, students can start thinking about the terms and what they are. Then, I would discuss how pollution and waste affect out planet in negative ways, but there are ways that we can help protect it. I would have a read-aloud where students would sit in a circle on the carpet and I would go over the pages and share the most interesting facts and information to students. I would do it this way because there are a lot of facts on each page, and I would give students a chance to look more into it after. Once we read part of the book, I would let students look at it on their own time, and do a writing activity. This is where students would write down and brainstorm ways that they can help save our planet and protect it. They could work with their peers as well. Then, we would go to the beach on a field trip and help clean up a beach that is in the area. This could be a unit project with many different activities and the final project could be to go to the beach as well. In this book, there are no issues of equity or diversity.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book a bit overwhelming and depressing-but that is where we are as a planet. Humans have trashed it.

From the publisher-
ABOUT WHAT A WASTE
In this informative book on recycling for children, you will find everything you need to know about our environment. The good, the bad and the incredibly innovative. From pollution and litter to renewable energy and plastic recycling.

This educational book will teach young budding ecologists about how our actions affect planet Earth and the big impact we can make by the little things we do.


Did you know that every single plastic toothbrush ever made still exists? Or that there is a floating mass of trash larger than the USA drifting around the Pacific Ocean?

It is not all bad news though. While this is a knowledge book that explains where we are going wrong, What a Waste also shows what we are getting right! Discover plans to save our seas. How countries are implementing green projects worldwide, and how to turn waste into something useful. The tiniest everyday changes can make all the difference to ensure our beautiful planet stays lush and teeming with life.

It is a lively kid’s educational book with fabulous illustrations and fun facts about the world broken into easy to digest bite-sized bits. Each page can be looked at in short bursts or longer reads for more detail, making it a great children’s book for a range of age groups.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Waste is an informative book that tackles the critical issue of waste management and environmental sustainability. This book is a valuable resource for young readers looking to understand the impact of human activity on the planet. The author breaks down the process of waste creation, recycling, and the importance of reducing our ecological footprint in a way that is kid friendly and easy to understand. The book covers a wide range of topics, including landfills, plastic pollution, and the significance of recycling, all while providing practical tips for making a positive difference. The illustrations throughout the book are bright and colorful and make the book even more interesting to read. I also enjoy that the use of charts, diagrams, and infographics adds an interactive element, allowing children to absorb the information in a dynamic and memorable way. I love that this book highlights the importance of collective action and individual responsibility in protecting the planet. It inspires young readers to become environmental stewards and empowers them to make a difference in their daily lives. This book shows that each person can make a difference, no matter how big or small. What a Waste is an essential read for children who want to understand the impact of their actions on the planet and make positive changes for a sustainable future. 

[Lena Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What a Waste" is a beautifully illustrated children's book by Jess French that highlights the importance of reducing waste and taking care of the environment. The story follows a group of animals, including a seal, a dolphin, and a sea turtle, who are impacted by the waste humans leave behind in the ocean.

The setting of the story is primarily the ocean, where the animals live and thrive. However, the impact of human waste is felt in every part of the ocean and affects the animals' lives drastically.

The plot revolves around the animals coming together to clean up their home and spread awareness among humans about the harmful effects of waste on the environment. Through their efforts, they show that small actions can make a big difference in protecting the planet.

The illustrations in the book are colorful and vibrant, bringing the characters and setting to life. The detailed illustrations capture the beauty of the ocean and its inhabitants, as well as the negative impact of waste on their environment.

Overall, "What a Waste" is a captivating and educational book for children that emphasizes the importance of taking care of the planet and working together to create a better world for all living beings.

[Cayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

1-4

The story talks about issues with waste and pollution and how we can try to resolve these issues. It then goes into speaking about the different types of resources the Earth has and its atmosphere. Then the author goes into specific climate issues like deforestation. We then learn about conservation and what we can do to help fix planet Earth.

I especially like the illustrations combined with real life photographs in the story because that gives students the chance to relate drawings with things that are happening in real life. This is full of information that we need to give to the younger generation about the environment to sustain earth. Some parts are scary however I think it is good that the book gives solutions to every problem that they mention.

In my classroom, I can do a lot of mini lessons with this information. We can make flyers for the school that have to do with saving planet earth that has information that they learned from this book on it, I can go into depth and give real life examples that actually happen like smog in China. We can take a field trip to a nature preserve and other places like that.