Description: “Lowell Harrelson wanted to turn trash into methane gas so he rented a barge called Morbo 4000. His plan was to ship the garbage from New York to North Carolina, but as the barge floated down the coast, no state would let him dock because of smelly waste on board! The barge became a mockery and the butt of many jokes in the media. What started as an attempted business venture turned into quite the predicament for Mr. Harrelson. Mobro 4000 roamed the seas for forty-five days and traveled a distance of 6,000 miles. While awaiting its fate, the trash floated in New York’s harbor, garnering much attention by onlookers. Green Peace activists put up a large banner across the barge that read, “NEXT TIME…TRY RECYCLING.” Even though the garbage barge was a farce, the unintended consequence inspired America to find a new way to deal with its trash.” – simonandschuster.com

Published: February 27, 2018 by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books 48 pages ISBN 1481477528

Reading Age: 4-8 years

Grade Level: Preschool-3

Description: “Before everyone recycled . . .
There was a town that had 3,168 tons of garbage and nowhere to put it.
What did they do?
Enter the Garbage Barge!
Amazing art built out of junk, toys, and found objects by Red Nose Studio makes this the perfect book for Earth Day or any day, and photos on the back side of the jacket show how the art was created.” -amazon.com

Published: February 9, 2010 by Schwartz & Wade 40 pages ISBN 0375852182

Reading Age: 4-8 years

Grade Level: Preschool-3

Description: “Meet Max the Little Monster. He is a cute, furry green monster who is an environmental nightmare. Among other things, he leaves on all the lights, keeps his computer plugged in, blasts the TV, hoards his old toys and uses so much toilet paper it clogs the toilet until finally, his excessive ways cause a power outage. With no TV to watch, computer to play on, video games to play with, Max finds there is a whole big world outside that he can make a difference in the environment.

Kids can follow Max the Little Green Monster’s journey to environmental awareness and learn tips on how they can become little green monsters themselves. A kid-friendly glossary of terms is included in the back of the book.” -amazon.com

Published: September 9, 2008 by Little Simon 24 pages ISBN 1416967893

Reading Age: 2-6 years

Grade Level: Preschool-1

Description: “For his birthday celebration, Nick has challenged his friends — Yulee, Sally, Pedro and Martin — to spend the day without using any single-use plastic. This means they use their own cloth bags for shopping, they say no thanks to plastic straws and, instead of balloons, they decorate with kites and streamers made of natural materials. The children discover that not using plastic is not that hard. They also learn about what plastic is made of, how much of it surrounds us and how it’s polluting our oceans and affecting the food chain. Most importantly, the five friends learn ways to use less — including just saying NO! The book concludes with fun ideas for readers to do a No-Plastic Challenge of their own!This friendly introduction to a timely and urgent topic is part of Scot Ritchie’s popular Exploring Our Community series. It will raise awareness of just how much plastic we use every day, and why that matters. Rather than focusing on the negative, however, the book takes a positive, proactive approach to the subject, empowering children with ideas for what they can do about it. As with all the books in the series, this one features friendly, appealing illustrations and the same diverse cast of characters. It has strong curriculum ties in science, including environmental awareness, sustainability and stewardship. It also offers terrific character education lessons in responsibility, citizenship and initiative.” -amazon.com

Published: September 3, 2019 by Kids Can Press 32 pages ISBN 152530240X

Reading Age: 4-7 years

Grade Level: Preschool-2

Description: “It’s in your toothbrush … your clothes … your earbuds. Chances are, you’re touching it right now. We’re talking about plastic! Plastic is absolutely everywhere and in practically everything we touch, from pens to water bottles to sports equipment. And a lot of it is used once and then thrown away. Unfortunately, it takes a REALLY long time for plastic to break down and it can be harmful to our environment, especially wildlife. But why and when did we start using it in so much stuff? And how do we stop?

Discover shocking stats and surprising facts; inspirational interviews with National Geographic explorers and leading researchers who are working tirelessly to protect the planet; tons of simple suggestions for sustainable swaps; and more eco-friendly choices and smart action steps. This book answers all of your burning questions about plastic and offers tangible ways to get involved, reduce plastic use, and create a more plastic-free future!” -amazon.com

Published: December 1, 2020 by National Geographic Kids 128 pages ISBN 1426339100

Reading Age: 8-12 years

Grade Level: 3-7

Description: “Welcome to Litterbug Land. The air is gross, the grass is dead, and the inhabitants throw their trash wherever they please. Yuck! Luckily there is hope. Follow Larry as he realizes the impact each and every little bug in Litterbug Land has on his environment and how he can make a difference.” -amazon.com

Published: May 9, 2021 by Matthew Gentry 34 pages ISBN 0988275929

Reading Age: 2-12 years

Grade Level: Elementary Level

Description: “The Earth is dying. There is too much pollution and trash in the world. Here’s a book for children who want to save the earth. Let’s Save Earth is a children’s book that teaches kids how to help the planet through small, easy actions. Children learn about recycling, reusing, and reducing plastic waste; sustainability; and helping others. This witty, picture book helps inspire compassion for the earth and its inhabitants.

What better way to introduce your children to the various ways they can help save the earth and show them that they aren’t too young to make a difference. This fun and brightly illustrated book will encourage your little one to reduce waste and help the environment.” -amazon.com

Published: February 25, 2022 Independently published 25 pages ISBN-13 979-8423014513

Reading Age: 4-7 years

Grade Level: Elementary Level

Description: “Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can make sure our Earth is clean. We are the Litter Busters, our work is forever seen.” -amazon.com

Published: March 16, 2022 Independently published 24 pages ISBN-13 979-8432170880

Reading Age: n/a

Grade Level: n/a

Description: “The Mess That We Made explores the environmental impact of trash and plastic on the ocean and marine life, and it inspires kids to do their part to combat pollution. Simple, rhythmic wording builds to a crescendo (“This is the mess that we made. These are the fish that swim in the mess that we made.”) and the vibrant digital artwork captures the disaster that is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Children can imagine themselves as one of the four multi-ethnic occupants of the little boat surrounded by swirling plastic in the middle of the ocean, witnessing the cycle of destruction and the harm it causes to plants, animals, and humans. The first half of the book portrays the growing magnitude of the issue, and the second half rallies children and adults to make the necessary changes to save our oceans. Facts about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, ocean pollution, and how kids can help are included in the back matter.” -amazon.com

Published: January 1, 2020 by Flashlight Press 32 pages ISBN 1947277146

Reading Age: 5-7 years

Grade Level: Kindergarten-2

Description: “Will they catch the culprit? Mystery is afoot and Roxy Raccoon & Sally Squirrel are busy trying to figure out who is littering all over Friendly Forest. They hatch a plan, along with their friends, to capture the litterbug and bring them to justice. Each page is filled with laughter, fun, and beautiful illustrations. This charming story is a must-read for families who enjoy nature and will inspire everyone to change our world, one kind action at a time.” -amazon.com

Published: November 11, 2018 by The Publishing Circle 42 pages ISBN 1947398245

Reading Age: 5-7 years

Grade Level: Elementary Level

Description: “Look around you – plastic is everywhere! It’s in your shoes, pens, toothbrush, car, toys, TV, water bottles, food packaging… It’s almost impossible to get through one day without using it. And it’s creating major problems for our world, our oceans, our animals and marine life, and ourselves.

In The Plastic Problem, from the team that brought you 101 Small Ways to Save the World, you’ll learn how to become a ‘plastic patroller’ instead of a plastic polluter by learning about the easy ways you can cut plastic out of your life. The simple actions found in this practical guide will help you protect our world and inspire your friends and family to do the same.” -amazon.com

Published: April 21, 2020 by Lonely Planet 112 pages ISBN 1788689364

Reading Age: 9-12 years

Grade Level: 4-7

Description: “The Whale Who Ate Plastic is a thought provoking picture book that follows a hungry whale who loves to eat. One day he meets a little fish who tells him about plastic. Not knowing that plastic is not food, the whale eats the plastic and feels very poorly indeed. The Whale Who Ate Plastic is a perfect ocean plastic or ocean pollution children’s book for a World Ocean Day read aloud.” -amazon.com

Published: May 27, 2022 by Madra Rua Publishing 47 pages ISBN 1739648595

Reading Age: 4-8 years

Grade Level: Preschool & Elementry

Description: “If you drop just one soda can out the window, it’s no big deal…right? But what if everybody did that? What if everybody broke the rules…and spoke during story time, didn’t wash up, or splashed too much at the pool? Then the world would be a mess. But what if everybody obeyed the rules so that the world would become a better place? Using humorous illustrations rendered in mixed media, these questions are answered in a child-friendly way and show the consequences of thoughtless behavior.” -amazon.com

Published: January 5, 2012 by Two Lions 32 pages ISBN 0761456864

Reading Age: 3-7 years

Grade Level: Preschool-2

Description: “Inspired by internationally acclaimed environmental activist, humanitarian, and adventurer Robin Greenfield, Zero Waste Kids features fun and easy illustrated projects and activities that will help your family reduce, reuse, and recycle at home, at school, and in your community.

While most kids probably aren’t going to grow all their own food for a year like Robin has, Zero Waste Kids features fun and practical projects for growing some of your own food, with advice and encouragement for why doing so is important. And, instead of wearing all their trash for a week like Robin did, with Zero Waste Kids, they’ll learn how to audit their trash, to really understand how much waste they’re personally contributing to the earth’s landfills.

Zero Waste Kids helps children to understand the world they live in and inspire them to start living in a more sustainable way. Of all the environmental problems we face, “trash” is one that is easiest to understand because it is very visual, whereas many other problems are more abstract. Zero-waste isn’t the solution to the world’s problems, but a very good place to start.” -amazon.com

Published: February 15, 2022 by Quarry Books 128 pages ISBN 1631599410

Reading Age: 6-9 years

Grade Level: 1-5