Zero Waste: How One Community Is Leading a World Recycling Revolution

by Allan Drummond

Overview

In this fifth installment in Allan Drummond’s picture book series about green living, a town in Japan takes a stand against its throwaway past and shows that it really does take a village to make sustainable change.

Kamikatsu, Japan is known worldwide for its sanitation innovations. This small community of 1700 people is leading the way in recycling and up-cycling, and as of 2022, had nearly achieved its goal of zero waste. Told in Allan's hallmark narrative style, Zero Waste is the story of a group of citizens who dared to break out of their comfort zone and make radical change for the good of their town and the planet. Through the eyes of two children visiting their grandmother, this inspiring addition to the author’s acclaimed Green Power series about everyday communities inventing exciting new approaches to green living shows that working together for a common cause has an impact that is lasting, meaningful—and fun!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780374388409
Publisher:	Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Publication date:	03/21/2023
Series:	Green Power
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,052,947
Product dimensions:	10.45(w) x 10.25(h) x 0.43(d)
Lexile:	AD760L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Allan Drummond is the author and illustrator of many books, including the other Green Power titles, Pedal Power, Energy Island, Green City, and Solar Story. He studied at the Royal College of Art in London and currently lives in Suffolk, England.

Editorial Reviews

04/03/2023

Drummond expands his Green Power series with this inspiring account of the citizens of Kamikatsu, Japan, and their zero-waste goal. Two children’s visit to see their proverb-loving grandmother provides framing for the narrative. During the visit, the trio sort trash into varied bins—nine for different paper types, six for varied plastic materials, five for metal, six for glass—providing insight into Kamikatsu’s real-life pledge to reduce, reuse, or recycle all waste. Lengthy sidebars offer context and definitions, while narration and speech bubbles educate and persuade: “Recycling? I’m too old for that!” reads one bubble. “Chiritsumo! A journey begins with the first step,” Grandma replies in the main text. Loosely marked art has calligraphy-like movement and flair. Appropriately focused on community members, illustrations showcase the story’s emphasis on how working together can help solve even seemingly impossible environmental problems. An author’s note, references, and photos append. Ages 4–8. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

A National Science Teaching Association-Children's Book Council Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

“This latest in Drummond’s Green Power series, which explores successful sustainability projects, highlights a Japanese town committed to careful recycling, reuse of what they have, and reduction of further purchasing. As always, he tells his story in ways that will connect with his audience. Using clear, conversational prose punctuated with cheerful, color-washed pen-and-ink drawings and even some speech bubbles, he describes two children’s visit to their grandmother in Kamikatsu . . . Charmingly encourages our own environmental efforts.” —Kirkus Reviews

“The fictional story offers children a way to connect with the ideas and facts . . . while Drummond’s illustrations set a jaunty tone. The fifth in his Green Power series, this picture book shows the challenges and rewards of living in a zero-waste town.” —Booklist

“Drummond expands his Green Power series with this inspiring account of the citizens of Kamikatsu, Japan, and their zero-waste goal . . . Loosely marked art has calligraphy-like movement and flair. Appropriately focused on community members, illustrations showcase the story’s emphasis on how working together can help solve even seemingly impossible environmental problems.” —Publishers Weekly

“Inspiring.” —Horn Book

From the Publisher

2022-12-24
A small town in Japan has become famous for its zero waste plan.

This latest in Drummond’s Green Power series, which explores successful sustainability projects, highlights a Japanese town committed to careful recycling, reuse of what they have, and reduction of further purchasing. As always, he tells his story in ways that will connect with his audience. Using clear, conversational prose punctuated with cheerful, color-washed pen-and-ink drawings and even some speech bubbles, he describes two children’s visit to their grandmother in Kamikatsu. They help her sort her recycling into different bins: nine for paper, six for plastic, five for metals, six for glass, and so on—nearly 50 different kinds of waste in all! Along the way, they learn about the differences among the materials. Grandma introduces and translates several relevant Japanese proverbs. Later, they visit the massive public recycling center, and Grandma recaps the history of the town’s zero waste project. As a young mother (clad in flowered bell-bottoms), she, too, unthinkingly threw trash away. But after the town’s dump and incinerator were deemed environmentally hazardous and closed, she and others began to work to reduce their waste stream. Their goal was to become a zero waste town by 2020. They recycle more than 80% of their waste and have become a model known around the world. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Charmingly encourages our own environmental efforts. (author’s note with photographs, further reading) (Informational picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews