Too Much Stuff

by Emily Gravett

A rhyming story about a pair of hoarding magpies that demonstrates the danger of having too much stuff.

Based in the same forest as Emily Gravett's Tidy.

Meg and Ash are a pair of magpies who are building a nest for their perfect eggs. Although they begin their nest construction using the usual mud, sticks and grass, Meg and Ash are soon convinced that their nest doesn't have enough stuff and begin to seek out more things to collect and add to an ever-growing pile. From cuckoo clocks to mops and socks, a stroller and even a car - their need for stuff doesn't seems endless. Until - crash! - the inevitable happens...

Genres: Picture Books, Birds, Animals, Childrens, Juvenile, Fiction, Humor

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Emily Gravett is twice winner of the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal and the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Bronze Award for WOLVES and LITTLE MOUSE'S BIG BOOK OF FEARS. An author/illustrator of unique talent and tremendous skill, she has a host of critically acclaimed books to her name, including BLUE CHAMELEON, WOLF WON'T BITE! and AGAIN! Emily lives in Brighton with her partner and their daughter.

Reviews

[G. Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I accidentally got this from the library when I was trying to reserve Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things (Steketee and Frost, fyi) but I suppose they’re very similar in message. I wish I could stop filling my nest with trinkets from bins. This book is a masterpiece and much quicker to read than what I was originally looking for — maybe I’ll learn the magpies’ lesson.

[Katherine Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows two good-willed magpies as they accumulate multiple items for their nest and depicts the eventual consequences of doing so. Touching on environmental themes, this story considers recycling and reusing, indicating how one animal's rubbish can be another's treasure. I think this book would be perfect for students in Year 1/2 and could draw together subjects across the curriculum under the theme of the environment.

[Ann Sawyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! Emily Gravitt at her best, great characterisation, lovely illustrations full of detail, rhyming text plus a message for us all - what's not to love?

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful from its shaped cover flaps, through the funny, anti consumerism story to the highly amusing adverts at the end. Another winner from Emily Gravett

[Alejandra Vicente · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si estás buscando un libro para hablar sobre consumismo con niños, "Too much stuff!" es lo que necesitas. Un álbum ilustrado con el que aprender que por tener más, no somos más felices y con el que ahondar en la importancia de las cuatro Rs (reducir, reparar, reutilizar y reciclar).

Meg y Ash son dos urracas que están preparando el nacimiento de sus polluelos con el nido perfecto, pero su obsesión por tener todo lo “necesario” no acabará como esperaban. Es un relato en rima con unas ilustraciones muy cuidadas, detalladas y visuales a través de las que veremos qué impacto puede causar en el medioambiente y en nuestras vidas acumular sin razón. Unos de los detalles que más me han gustado han sido las guardas del libro, que muestran anuncios de los objetos que aparecen durante la narración.

Otro elemento muy positivo del que ya he hecho mención es el hecho de que esté escrito en rima. Es un detalle que ayuda mucho a la hora de trabajar la pronunciación si se lee en inglés. Sin embargo, también es importante resaltar que está escrito en pasado y que no resultaría una buena lectura en su versión original para niños de temprana edad que no estén acostumbrados a ese tiempo verbal.

Por tanto, esta obra infantil puede ser estupenda para empezar a promover un consumo responsable en los más pequeños.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another delightful gem from Emily Gravett with a message about consumerism and its negative effects. A pair of magpies build a nest and lay four eggs. They constantly want to improve their home, and after lining the next with magazine advertising set off to collect an extraordinarily divers range of not needed goods inspired by the ads. From pets to socks, teddy bear to bicycle, the nest, and the tree become more and more weighed down - with a much anticipated result when the car is flown in. The creative recycling options that the various forest animals then undertake adds a positive spin on the excessive wastage.

A strong message about our obsession with collecting unnecessary possessions that is reinforced through the end papers which consist of the advertisements in the magazine the birds use in the next.
Excellent in every way - rhyming couplets, clever wording and Gravett's singular style with the illustrations of the wildlife.

[Holly Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expectant parent magpies read some adverts and are convinced their babies need Stuff in order to be content- so they fill their nest with increasingly ridiculous things until the error of this becomes apparent! Good rhyme and nice illustrations. I like the adverts inside the front and back covers. The book itself is beautifully designed actually- the covers of the hardback are very prettily patterned and the dust jacket is an unusual shape and decorated inside. I don’t how effective this book will be at converting my child to minimalism, but it’s nice to have a story that at least in some way illustrates what I’m often harping about, and the non-consumerist life I try to live (except perhaps where children’s literature is concerned!)

[La Gran Biblioteca de David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una pareja de urracas están cuidando de sus huevos en un precioso nido. Para que sus crías estén bien y felices comienzan a traer muchas cosas al nido. Bicicletas, relojes de cuco, zapatos, calcetines,... ¡Demasiadas cosas!

Nuevamente, Gravett nos trae un álbum ilustrado cuyos protagonistas son animales del bosque. Además son animales que hablan, piensan y actúan como los humanos. Es curioso la forma de las urracas, que se van llevando todo lo que encuentran y creen que sus polluelos van a poder necesitar cuando nazcan.

La historia, sencilla, transmite a su vez una serie de ideas o enseñanzas. La primera es la tendencia humana a ir recogiendo y acumulando cosas que, lo mismo, no nos sirve o solo usaremos una vez, solo por el afán de tenerlo todo y que nunca nos falte de nada. La otra es la ayuda al prójimo. Es importante ayudar a los demás cuando estos necesiten nuestra ayuda, así como cooperar entre todos. La tercera y última es el reciclaje y la reutilización. Cuando el nido d las urracas se desploma por el peso de las cosas, estas van repartiendo sus pertenencias a los demás animales y se hace un nuevo uso de estos (por ejemplo, los relojes de cuco se convierten en casitas para pájaros).

Emily Gravett es una ilustradora infantil mundialmente reconocida. Sus dibujos son muy coloridos, llamativos, vivos y lleno en detalles. Ya lo vimos con Cyril y Renata y otros álbumes más que hemos reseñado. La letra es, además fácil de leer para los primeros lectores, con un tamaño acorde y unas frases cortas y un vocabulario sencillo y simple. Un álbum ilustrado ideal para los más pequeños y los amantes de los álbumes infantiles.

https://lagranbibliotecadedavid.blogs...

[Ana Monteiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apesar de ter sido uma leitora extremamente voraz enquanto criança e adolescente, coloquei muito poucos livros dessa época aqui na lista do Goodreads.
Não porque menorizo os livros infantis ou juvenis. Muito pelo contrário.
Mas essencialmente, porque muitos fazem parte de grandes colecções (Os Cinco, Os Sete, Colecção Mistério, As Gémeas, o Colégio das 4 Torres, Patrícia, Carlota, e similares) e no motor de pesquisa apenas constam alguns dos seus títulos isolados. Acresce que, apesar de ter uns quantos na memória, teria grande dificuldade em os relembrar todos, e muito menos avaliar.
Optei, assim, por não os incluir. Mais recentemente, tomei contacto com uma nova geração de livros infantis, através da minha sobrinha. E reconectei-me com o seu encanto.
É um livro cheio de graça sobre os problemas trazidos pela acumulação excessiva de coisas. Está muito bem construído, e mais do que o previsível final em que se conclui pela necessidade de ter apenas aquilo de que precisamos, é a ilustração desta jornada que acaba por ser o ponto forte do livro.

(li a versão Portuguesa)

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best part is the bonus art, on endpapers and on cover under the dust jacket. Unfortunately the story goes over the top, making whatever the reader does seem reasonable in comparison. And then almost all the trash is donated & repurposed, which dilutes the anti-consumerism message and belongs in a different book (and there are several excellent books with that theme already).

I do like the art. But I liked Tidy and other books by Gravett better.

Here's the moral of the story that does need to be created: 'Close the Loop.' Don't just buy recyclable, but buy things made of post-consumer recycled materials. And don't just donate to thrift stores, but shop at them, too. Now, of course, that book mustn't imply that we can just go ahead and buy whatever we fancy. But if you can pull it off, I'll give you a good review.

[Sonya Bright · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a brilliant book! The premise, the illustrations, the excellent rhyme. It’s cute without being twee, and funny without being slapstick. It’s easily one of my favourite picture books I’ve read in the last few months.

I love that the story begins on the inside cover, with hilarious advertisements for all the products the birds collect, and continues through all the way to the back cover.

The page turns come at great places, so young readers will be excited to see what comes next. And it’s all just silly enough to be funny without being over-the-top.

There’s a good “all hope is lost … or is it?” twist near the end.

And great credits at the very end, incorporating the information into another illustration.

An all around clever book.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg and Ash are building a nest. To make it cozy, they line it with an old magazine that is filled with advertisements (hilarious ads that you will see in the book). Soon there are four eggs. And this inspires Meg and Ash begin to acquire many items that they might need for their soon to be hatchlings. They keep accumulating until the nest can bear no more and there is a huge CRASH! But where are the baby birds?

This reminds me a bit of Stuck by Oliver Jeffers because of all of the things that are thrown into the tree. But it is also a gentle reminder to reuse and recycle and also a gentle nudge against consumerism. The illustrations are lovely - be sure to look under the cover and take a peek at the ISBN.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pair of magpie parents are so excited to welcome their chicks into their lives once they hatch. They want to make sure they have everything the little ones could possibly need. But they go a bit overboard with disastrous consequences.

I liked the modeling of repurposing and giving things away to those who can use it better. The story itself is so over the top it is quite funny. The forest creatures are the same ones in Tidy but you don't have to have read that book to appreciate this one. (You'll just understand the badger's expressions a little more.) A humorous book that may prompt some readers to reevaluate their "need" for more things.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een hilarisch boek over twee eksterouders die iets TE enthousiast zijn over de aankomende geboorte van hun kindjes. Ze proberen hen nu al van alles te geven. Zoals een teddybeer. Of afval. Of fietsen (want ja, wat als ze moe zijn van vliegen). En zo zien we steeds meer spul verschijnen en ik keek dus uit naar het moment dat het allemaal BOEM doet. Gelukkig eindigt het boek wel op een happy note, ik was eventjes bang. Oh, en ik vond het leuk hoe iedereen in het bos hen hielp. Ook toffe illustraties!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
The magpies want all the best for their soon-to-hatch babies, so they begin to fill their nest with all kinds of stuff. A Volkswagen Beetle-bug is just too much so Crack! goes the nest and the soon-to-be parents need to straighten out their priorities—and fast!
The story is cute, the illustrations are amazing, the rhyming is a bit off in a few places. But a fun read for the older preschool-early elementary set.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meg and Ash are two birds building a nest for their four little eggs. As they build they want to make it the best nest possible, and so they keep adding more and more and more stuff to it. It gets to be pretty ridiculous and then it all comes crashing down. With everything piled up high, where are their eggs?!

This was a funny read. I really like how in the end they gave their stuff away to those that could really use it, and the stuff that was rubbish that nobody wanted was thrown away.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Meg and Ash build a nest for a home, and their four eggs, they both seem to think that their baby birds should have something more when they arrive. So starts the gathering of odds and ends to brighten up their nest, but before long their collection gets a little out of control, and when Meg and Ash realized it, it was a bit too late, and too much stuff.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The magpies are delighted to build a home for their eggs, but they keep finding things to make the place better until there might just be TOO MUCH STUFF! With quirky rhymes and friendly illustrations, this book is particularly helpful for teaching children to reduce and reuse instead of getting more and more stuff.

[Madison Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was darling. I loved the rhyme pattern, as well as the general theme which seems to be "less is more". The illustrations were so unique and captivating to look at on each page. Watching Meg and Ash put all types of human items into their nest, which leads to its destruction. Not only do we get to see that theme of less is more, but we also see how our garbage can affect wildlife.

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of magpies build a nest in a tall tree. But they add too much stuff and the nest breaks and the eggs are lost until they discover they have hatched. They put too many huge objects such as; a baby buggy, a bicycle, a car, a trash bin, cuckoo clocks, and more.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This title didn't engage my older preschool crowd as well as I had hoped. I think it would be better suited for 1st graders as a lesson in "less is more". The story gets a 3, but the art is super cute!

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed. I love the art, but the poetry is really off in a few places, which is distracting. I kept stopping to rewrite the lines in my head. The absurdity of if was more annoying than funny.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book! Lots of fantastic illustrations on each page, great for discussions with children in classrooms, reading groups or before bedtime. A lovely rhyming verse, my children will love this book.

[Fel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely picture book about collecting too much useless stuff. The story is told in rhyming verses which flow really nicely when read aloud.

Illustrations are really pleasing, I love the amount of character in the designs and am tempted to give the other books a read.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

A jolly, rhyming story about having too much stuff! A great introduction for children learning about recycling. This is particularly helpful when exploring waste and reusing items with children. The story explores property and, having things, merely for the sake of having them.

[Becki · Rating 3 out of 5]

5 stars for the art - I loved the adverts in the magazine that the magpies used - and the story concept is fun, but the scansion is off in the rhyme, so you have to change the rhythm to make it read smoothly. This a shame because because with just a few tweaks it could have been perfect.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joyful

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another gem from Emily Gravett. This one has an important message about the acquisition of stuff - the need to get more and more and more, and how useless most of it is. And what is important.

[Marie-Pier Dodier · Rating 3 out of 5]

En français : Superflu. Surconsommation. Mettre en réseau avec La clé à molette d'Élise Gravel.

[Lisa D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book !