The Blurb

Everything is made of stuff. Some things are made of paper, like this book. And some things are made of PLASTIC. If you look around you, plastic is everywhere. Even in places where it’s not meant to be. If it drops to the ground, it doesn’t rot away – it sticks around for ever.

Our world is drowning in plastic, and it’s a big problem. Award-winning author-illustrator Neal Layton is here to explain where plastic comes from, why it doesn’t biodegrade, and why that’s dangerous for animals and humans alike. But he’s also FULL of ideas for how you can help! From giving up straws in juice cartons to recycling all we can and taking part in a beach clean, A Planet Full of Plastic will get young readers excited about how they can make a difference to keep Planet Earth happy.

The Review

A Planet Full Of Plastic takes us on a tour of the history of plastic, the science behind why it isn’t biodegradable, the impact on our environment, and what we can do to reduce our plastic waste.

Accessible language unpicks the issues in a way that is clear and concise for young children and lays stark facts out to encourage further investigation. The use of mixed-media makes clear just how plastic pollution is damaging our planet, especially our oceans and the vast array of creatures who live in them.

Perfect for supporting topics on oceans and pollution in class and links brilliantly with Somebody Swallowed Stanley, and as a non-fiction read for children who are curious about our world, care about our environment and want to know more.

Could you be a litter picker?

I live as far from the sea as it’s possible to in our country, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t our problem or that we can’t help. Litter makes its way into storm drains, streams and rivers, polluting all of our waterways.

And the litter that doesn’t? That stays blowing around our streets and parks, buried in hedgerows until someone like you picks it up. On our last school litter pick around our local area, we found a crisp packet with a best before date older than our Year 6 children.

The solution is simple when it comes to litter. Bag it or bin it. Do not drop it. Best of all – take it home!

But sadly, not everyone does. So how can you help? By joining a local litter group, starting a new one or picking up litter on your own, you will not only improve the local environment, it‘ll benefit you too. Here’s how:

• By joining a local group, you’ll be meeting like-minded people and getting to know your neighbours.
• Working together with others in your community you’ll harness local support for cleaning up litter.
• It is rewarding taking action on an issue that you care about.
• You’ll live in a nicer, cleaner and better looking environment after taking part in a few local litter picks.
• Taking part in local litter picks, you’ll be getting out there in the fresh air.
• You will be demonstrating that simple action can make a really positive difference and help restore pride in your community.

You might think it won’t make a difference, but it really does. The Great British Spring Clean, held from 22 March – 23 April, organised by Keep Britain Tidy was the country’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign with a record-breaking 563,163 taking part. During that time people:

• Took part in 17,097 clean-ups.
• Collected 957,377 bags of litter (around 39% will be recycled).
• Spent 1.1 million hours litter picking.

Every litter pick helps, but if we all remember Bag it or bin it. Do not drop it. Best of all – take it home! we’ll all have a nicer environment to live in.

Huge thanks to Hachette for inviting me to take part in the blog tour. Do make sure you check out all of the other stops for ways we can reduce our environmental footprint.