First Friday Book Review: We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers

Reviewed by Cameron Crane

How can we empower today’s children to embrace environmental stewardship?  It’s easy enough to tell children to turn off the water when they are brushing their teeth, or to place a recycling bin in the kitchen and show them how to use it. These actions become habits, and are definitely a positive start, but to foster a deep love for the environment, it is essential that kids have an understanding of the why behind the action.

It can be a tricky subject—how do we explain how our actions affect the planet with out sounding too ‘doom and gloom’? How do we approach such a big concept with someone so, well, little? At Little Pickle Press, it is our mission to approach these subjects through literature, to inspire conversations about the why in a way that children can relate to and understand.

We are no strangers to teaching children that little actions can make a big difference in the world we live in, especially when it comes to protecting it. In fact, Sofia’s Dream and What Does It Mean To Be Green? are two titles that do just that. We have seen the positive impact that these books have had, so this month, we were on the lookout for a new title to do the same.

With the help of Books Inc. in Laurel Village, we found one. Today it is our pleasure to introduce you to We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers, by Lauren Child.

The Story: We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers follows Charlie, one very smart older brother, on a mission to explain the importance of recycling to his younger sister Lola. After Lola visits her friend Marty’s room, and sees how messy his room is, she becomes determined to clean hers and throw all the things she’s been collecting away. It is up to Charlie to get Lola to recycle the things she doesn’t want, which can lead to all sorts of fun and exciting things! Inspired to protect the earth, Lola cannot wait to spread the word to her classmates.

The Artwork: Using fun mixed media and lovable characters, Child brings her story to life. The reader will be excited to go on the journey with Charlie and Lola, and to see what happens next.

The Layout: The layout of We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers is unique and aesthetically pleasing. Each page offers something different than the last.

The Message: The message is simple: if we aren’t careful, the world will end up looking like Marty’s room or worse, and that will ruin everything. Luckily, by becoming extremely very good recyclers, we can help stop this from happening.

My Only Issue: It would be wonderful if this book was printed in a more environmentally-friendly manner and without a dust jacket.

Conclusion: This is a great book to read to your little ones before they clean their rooms or when teaching them about recycling. Buy We Are Extremely Very Good Recyclers from Amazon, your local bookstore, or rent it from your local library to share with the little pickles in your life.