This Book Stinks!

This Book Stinks! The publishers think it stinks, the author thinks it stinks…most people think it stinks and so do I!

This Book Stinks! by Sarah Wassner Flynn
Published by National Geographic KIDS
Date: 28 March 2017

So you’re probably wondering why this book stinks so much, it’s simple really, it’s about the science of trash. Yep, that’s right it is about garbage, that stinky, rotten, icky stuff that fills our bins across the world.

“…the filthy stuff may get a bad wrap, but not everything about garbage is gross. In fact, a lot that has to do with trash is totally cool. And that’s not a bunch of rubbish!” and after reading this book I wholeheartedly agree.

This book will pique the interest of your child and teenager for hours, there is so much to read and learn in this book and is a perfect resource for school libraries and your child who has an interest in science. The book is filled with facts about waste, how long different garbage items take to breakdown, fun ways to upcycle garbage items, ideas on how to grow veggies from scraps and so much more.

There is so much to love about this book, I personally like the “Eat it or Toss it?” page, I am often throwing food out when my husband thinks it could still be eaten and this page has answered my questions.  Who knew that if you cut the moldy bits off the cheese that the cheese was still ok to use? Something I will be ok with doing now.

I also enjoyed the “Running on Rubbish” page, which I think tween and teens will find interesting too, cars running on rubbish sound like it could be the way of their future. It may also inspire them to think about rubbish differently, see its potential.

National Geographic Kids have put an explosion of colour right throughout the book. The photographs/pictures are not distracting at all and engage the reader in wanting to find out more. There is a good balance between pictures/photographs and text and has been written in a way that children will be able to understand, while also encouraging the readers to think beyond the book and into their own ideas. The garbage genius quiz in the book is fun and will also get your child thinking about how much they know about garbage and what they have learnt from this book.

This book is wonderfully informative and perhaps will even get your future scientist interested in how they can help make their future filled less with garbage, and more inspired by how it can shape their future.

Thank you to National Geographic Kids for asking me to read and honestly review this book.