Plasticus Maritimus

July 1, 2020
Ocean plastic threatens our world. P�go, a marine biologist, has been documenting and collecting plastic from seashores for years. She gave it a scientific name, Plasticus maritimus, in 2015. In this comprehensive introduction, she explains and describes the problems plastics create in the oceans and other waterways. (The text, co-written with Minh�s Martins, is presented in P�go's first-person singular.) After an opening chapter about the importance of oceans, she provides a "field guide" to this invasive species, explaining what it is and why and how it is made, used, and discarded. She offers examples, both common and unusual, and tells her young readers how to look for it themselves. A third section offers sensible suggestions for what we can do to rethink, refuse, reduce, repair, reuse, and recycle to reduce the amount of plastic in our oceans. She devotes a final chapter to the difficulties of recycling this complex material. In conclusion, there are photographs of plastics found on beaches and a sculpture of a whale skeleton she created from it. (Her Facebook page includes more examples of her art, an activity that would probably appeal to young plastic collectors.) Ably translated from the Portuguese original by Springer, who also provided North American content, this text is not easy to read or think about, but confident, concerned readers will find it full of solid, useful information. Carvalho's colored-pencil sketches as well as photographs enliven the pages. A cleverly conceived and comprehensive introduction to a serious issue. (sources and resources) (Nonfiction. 10-16)

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2020
Pego, a marine biologist, warns of the impact of "invasive" plastics on the ocean environment. The toys, fishing lines, and medical equipment that wash up on the beaches she frequents are the tip of the iceberg, representing just a small fraction of the volumes of plastics in the oceans and the serious harm they do to plant and animal life. The narrative, filled with lists, timelines, and asides, ambles across scientific, environmental, and personal topics, from brief explanations of concepts such as tides and the chemistry of plastic production to musings on human connections with the sea. Although each topic is discussed only briefly, the concepts accumulate as readers work through the book, presenting a solid introduction to the science and a clear call to action. Crayon illustrations of coasts and seas evoke the movements of the ocean, and photos of some of the oddities found on the beach are both fun to try to identify and disturbing when revealed, showing the amazing scope of plastic waste generated by human activities. Wonderfully direct sections transform the overused "reduce-reuse-recycle" mantra into a more effective seven-step action plan, inviting readers to call out those "pretending the problem doesn't exist" and to contribute to long-lasting solutions. Back matter includes websites, sources, "Do You Want to Know More About Plastic," "What We Can Do," author bios, and information about the nonprofit David Suzuki Institute.

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

November 1, 2020
Pego, a marine biologist, warns of the impact of "invasive" plastics on the ocean environment. The toys, fishing lines, and medical equipment that wash up on the beaches she frequents are the tip of the iceberg, representing just a small fraction of the volumes of plastics in the oceans and the serious harm they do to plant and animal life. The narrative, filled with lists, timelines, and asides, ambles across scientific, environmental, and personal topics, from brief explanations of concepts such as tides and the chemistry of plastic production to musings on human connections with the sea. Although each topic is discussed only briefly, the concepts accumulate as readers work through the book, presenting a solid introduction to the science and a clear call to action. Crayon illustrations of coasts and seas evoke the movements of the ocean, and photos of some of the oddities found on the beach are both fun to try to identify and disturbing when revealed, showing the amazing scope of plastic waste generated by human activities. Wonderfully direct sections transform the overused "reduce-reuse-recycle" mantra into a more effective seven-step action plan, inviting readers to call out those "pretending the problem doesn't exist" and to contribute to long-lasting solutions. Back matter includes websites, sources, "Do You Want to Know More About Plastic," "What We Can Do," author bios, and information about the nonprofit David Suzuki Institute. Danielle J. Ford

(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)