What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wartville Wizard
Wartville is being buried in trash! There are soda bottles under the flowers, juice cans by the mailbox, and newspapers along the road. Every day the piles grow higher and higher.
Then one tidy old man realizes he has the power to get rid of all the trash forever. Wartville will finally be cleaned up once and for all!
Then one tidy old man realizes he has the power to get rid of all the trash forever. Wartville will finally be cleaned up once and for all!
32 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 1986
5 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 22, 2020
I appreciate the environmental message of this book. It is well meaning. I acknowledge that.
That said, it’s unavoidable to also see this as a book about an entitled, angry old white man finding the power to force a town to do things his way because his ways are the only right way. Then, the entitled and indignant townsfolk come into conflict with the old white man. Ultimately, they recognize the old self-righteous white man was right all along and are appropriately ashamed for ever having done things in a way not approved by him.
The moral: old angry white men are right. If you disagree with that, they turn into wizards and zap you into submission. So, don’t get uppity or you deserve what’s coming.
That said, it’s unavoidable to also see this as a book about an entitled, angry old white man finding the power to force a town to do things his way because his ways are the only right way. Then, the entitled and indignant townsfolk come into conflict with the old white man. Ultimately, they recognize the old self-righteous white man was right all along and are appropriately ashamed for ever having done things in a way not approved by him.
The moral: old angry white men are right. If you disagree with that, they turn into wizards and zap you into submission. So, don’t get uppity or you deserve what’s coming.
August 22, 2007
This book is one of the best explanations for why I am what I am. And yes, it is about garbage.
April 23, 2026
I read this book every year to fourth graders around Earth Day.
This is a story about an old man who gets his burlap bag and goes around his house and town, picking up other people's trash. He does this every single day, rain or shine, to try to keep his town and nature clean. And he is getting tired of cleaning up after everyone. Yelling "slobs" helps, but after a while, even that no longer helps. He was just too tired. He went into the middle of the woods and whispered, "Mother Nature, I've tried to keep your hill and green places clean, but I can't go on. I'm tired. " He soon realized that he was then given the power over trash. In the best possible way. The old man just needs to point his finger at the trash and say, "Go back and stick to the person who threw you!" :)I often wish I were given that power.
This is a story about an old man who gets his burlap bag and goes around his house and town, picking up other people's trash. He does this every single day, rain or shine, to try to keep his town and nature clean. And he is getting tired of cleaning up after everyone. Yelling "slobs" helps, but after a while, even that no longer helps. He was just too tired. He went into the middle of the woods and whispered, "Mother Nature, I've tried to keep your hill and green places clean, but I can't go on. I'm tired. " He soon realized that he was then given the power over trash. In the best possible way. The old man just needs to point his finger at the trash and say, "Go back and stick to the person who threw you!" :)I often wish I were given that power.
January 11, 2017
I read this book to a second-grade class. They loved it! The message it gives about taking care of the environment is great. It is a little lengthy, so they would not have been able to read it on their own. It was a great book used for a social studies lesson.
April 11, 2014
"The people of Wartville are a bunch of slobs," or so says the old man inhabitant of the town who spends his days picking up the trash his fellow citizens have carelessly tossed practically anywhere but where it should have been. One day, the old man decides he has had enough of his trash-cleaning ritual, and begins telling the trash he finds to "return to its owner," that is, the individual responsible for throwing it down on the ground. Before long, the Wartville hospital is swarming with people in a panic, demanding a medical explanation for why gum wrappers have attached themselves to their earlobes, or why a candy wrapper has become their new accessory- and not by choice. Initially, the cause remains a mystery, and the "trash disease" epidemic continues to spread without cause. Nonetheless, before long, the old man responsible for all of this is unveiled, and although the citizens are at first outraged over what the "Wartville Wizard" has done, they soon realize they are the ones to be blamed for this, and are overwhelmed with feelings of shame and remorse. In the end, the citizens of Wartville decide to "turn over a new leaf," for the sake of their appearances and their city, and the Wartville Wizard is able to retire his duties, and although he is pleased to no longer see trash scattered about the environment in which he lives, he is ever so slightly disappointed that he no longer can refer to the passerbys as "slobs," because quite frankly, he found that to be somewhat amusing from time to time.
The Wartville Wizard is an enjoyable, easy read that would be suitable for the younger elementary grades, but also appropriate for the upper grades as well, existing as the perfect gateway book into introducing the intermediate students to the topic of recycling, Earth Day, and the like. Though there are a few vocabulary words that pop up in the text that may require students to be frontloaded with some background knowledge, such as the words "epidemic," "depressed," and "garment," overall, the book can be explored without much scaffolding, as the illustrations provided are a great compliment to the plot, and the story is short and sweet, yet still consisting of a deeper message and emphasizing the importance of recycling and keeping our planet clean for those who live here now and those that will occupy it in the future. Moreover, I liked the story, was fond of being able to watch as the citizens of Wartville transitioned their city from "trashy" to "classy," and found its bit of querkiness to add just the right amount of humor to a more serious subject.
In terms of relating the book to the classroom, one way would be to incorporate it into a science lesson revolving around recycling. Students could be prompted, following the reading of the text, to work cooperatively in small groups to design "billboards" to be displayed around Wartville, reminding citizens to throw trash away, and recycle what they can! While this activity relates to the story, it also gives the students a chance to reflect upon the importance of recycling and discarding of non-recyclable items appropriately. On another note, in relating this book to social studies, students could again work in small groups to research other epidemics that have taken place in this country as well as in other parts of the world. In the story, the trash-sticking mystery is initially deemed as an "epidemic" because nearly everyone in Wartville begin exhibiting symptoms. Though this is a fictional epidemic, there have been many historical accounts of real epidemics that have plagued people for a time. As well, in relating to health, the United States is currently on the verge of a childhood obesity epidemic, a topic that directly concerns the students as well, as they are the generation at risk of turning this epidemic risk into a reality if their lifestyle and eating habits do not change by the time they reach adulthood. From their research on epidemics, students could create a presentation with their group members and discuss their findings with the class. On a final note, the feature film "Wall-E" could be integrated into a unit that features the topic of recycling and the reading of this book. If the citzens of Wartville had not changed, perhaps their town would had ended up like the Earth does in the movie. As well, the movie puts neglecting recycling and properly discarding of trash in perspective, as it shows a possible consequence of doing so, which realistically could be something this generation of students could face if they do not begin "thinking before tossing."
Conclusively, this book candidly addresses recycling and does so in a wizardly way, making it something worthwhile, and also something that would appeal to students. Its message is also a meaningful one, and hopefully would serve as a relevant read students could find purpose behind.
The Wartville Wizard is an enjoyable, easy read that would be suitable for the younger elementary grades, but also appropriate for the upper grades as well, existing as the perfect gateway book into introducing the intermediate students to the topic of recycling, Earth Day, and the like. Though there are a few vocabulary words that pop up in the text that may require students to be frontloaded with some background knowledge, such as the words "epidemic," "depressed," and "garment," overall, the book can be explored without much scaffolding, as the illustrations provided are a great compliment to the plot, and the story is short and sweet, yet still consisting of a deeper message and emphasizing the importance of recycling and keeping our planet clean for those who live here now and those that will occupy it in the future. Moreover, I liked the story, was fond of being able to watch as the citizens of Wartville transitioned their city from "trashy" to "classy," and found its bit of querkiness to add just the right amount of humor to a more serious subject.
In terms of relating the book to the classroom, one way would be to incorporate it into a science lesson revolving around recycling. Students could be prompted, following the reading of the text, to work cooperatively in small groups to design "billboards" to be displayed around Wartville, reminding citizens to throw trash away, and recycle what they can! While this activity relates to the story, it also gives the students a chance to reflect upon the importance of recycling and discarding of non-recyclable items appropriately. On another note, in relating this book to social studies, students could again work in small groups to research other epidemics that have taken place in this country as well as in other parts of the world. In the story, the trash-sticking mystery is initially deemed as an "epidemic" because nearly everyone in Wartville begin exhibiting symptoms. Though this is a fictional epidemic, there have been many historical accounts of real epidemics that have plagued people for a time. As well, in relating to health, the United States is currently on the verge of a childhood obesity epidemic, a topic that directly concerns the students as well, as they are the generation at risk of turning this epidemic risk into a reality if their lifestyle and eating habits do not change by the time they reach adulthood. From their research on epidemics, students could create a presentation with their group members and discuss their findings with the class. On a final note, the feature film "Wall-E" could be integrated into a unit that features the topic of recycling and the reading of this book. If the citzens of Wartville had not changed, perhaps their town would had ended up like the Earth does in the movie. As well, the movie puts neglecting recycling and properly discarding of trash in perspective, as it shows a possible consequence of doing so, which realistically could be something this generation of students could face if they do not begin "thinking before tossing."
Conclusively, this book candidly addresses recycling and does so in a wizardly way, making it something worthwhile, and also something that would appeal to students. Its message is also a meaningful one, and hopefully would serve as a relevant read students could find purpose behind.
July 25, 2008
Great story about a wizard who gets tired of litterbugs trashing his lawn, so he creates a spell where the trash gets stuck to those who threw it away. I especially love his cry of "Slobs!" as he angrily cleans up his lawn.
November 23, 2011
Great book when teaching students how to reduce trash and recycle. Also would be awesome to use when talking about respecting the environment.
August 29, 2018
I wish I had the power to send pieces of litter flying back to their bugs.
July 2, 2020
This is excellent to impress upon kids what it means to leave their trash for someone else to pick up. I highly recommend it!
October 10, 2024
After an older man grows weary of picking up the trash thrown out of the cars alongside the road, he is granted power over trash and teaches the townsfolk a lesson about littering.
This picture book teaches the importance of not littering and demonstrates the burden that littering places upon others.
I could relate the Wartville Wizard's frustrations. I am the only person on my block who regularly picks up the trash thrown out vehicles onto the tree lawns. One weekend my neighbor's boyfriend threw his supersize styrofoam soda cup in the grass when he got out of his jeep, and it just lay there on the ground for an almost an entire week before I finally picked it up and put it in the garbage; everyone who lived in that house just kept walking right by it. If I see trash laying around, I try to pick it up and throw it away (as long as it isn't too disgusting), and sometimes I even walk around the block with a garbage bag on the day before trash day. When I run errands by foot or bike, I pick up recyclable litter -- cleanish water bottles and aluminum soda cans -- from the tree lawns, curbs, and parking lots; my record for one day is 16 items. (The most common brands of littered aluminum cans are Monster, Mountain Dew, and Budweiser if you are curious.)
Picking up litter is a thankless task, but I don't want to live in a trash-strewn world, so I continue to resentfully fight the long defeat. I wish I had the magic power to send the garbage back to the people to whom it belongs.
This picture book teaches the importance of not littering and demonstrates the burden that littering places upon others.
I could relate the Wartville Wizard's frustrations. I am the only person on my block who regularly picks up the trash thrown out vehicles onto the tree lawns. One weekend my neighbor's boyfriend threw his supersize styrofoam soda cup in the grass when he got out of his jeep, and it just lay there on the ground for an almost an entire week before I finally picked it up and put it in the garbage; everyone who lived in that house just kept walking right by it. If I see trash laying around, I try to pick it up and throw it away (as long as it isn't too disgusting), and sometimes I even walk around the block with a garbage bag on the day before trash day. When I run errands by foot or bike, I pick up recyclable litter -- cleanish water bottles and aluminum soda cans -- from the tree lawns, curbs, and parking lots; my record for one day is 16 items. (The most common brands of littered aluminum cans are Monster, Mountain Dew, and Budweiser if you are curious.)
Picking up litter is a thankless task, but I don't want to live in a trash-strewn world, so I continue to resentfully fight the long defeat. I wish I had the magic power to send the garbage back to the people to whom it belongs.
January 24, 2016
The guy in the seat in front of mine took a last swig out of his plastic water bottle, checked to make sure it was empty, screwed the cap back on, casually leaned over and threw it out of the window. That done he settled back to enjoy the journey home. I opened my mouth, nothing came out. Again I tried but I ended up sighing and looking out the same window, as if I could suck the bottle back in and take it to a trashcan.
I learned my lesson a few years ago when on a longer journey mine was the only window that opened. I felt fortunate at the time given the outside temperature was over 30° C, and inside it wasn’t much cooler. A street vendor got on as the bus went over a speed bump and sold a bunch of rice and chicken lunches in small, cheap Tupperware type containers. My fortune turned into horror, however, as one by one people stood up to throw their empty containers out my window. I closed it, they reopened it. I asked one if he thought Ecuador was a beautiful country, and he gave me a questioning stare that said a thousand words. I closed my window repeatedly until people decided that it was easier to ask the driver to open the bus door and dispose of their trash that way. The gringo doesn’t understand how things work in our country. Why do they come here anyway? Well, as long as they spend their dollars…
I have made more than a busfull of enemies over the years here. The last town I lived in had a beautiful little river that ran right behind our house. Downstream about 100 meters were a bunch of houses out of which little old ladies would emerge daily to ceremoniously dump their plastic garbage bags in the river. Hey lady, this is YOUR town, your river. You live here. Blank stare. Sir, don’t throw those sacks in the river, they contaminate it. Give it to the garbage men when they come by. They don’t come by here. Oh. But…
One of my children’s favorite books is about an old man who, after years of picking up bags and bags of trash outside of his house, and becoming more and more resentful about it, discovered one day that he had POWER over trash. With a flick of his finger he could make improperly discarded trash fly back and stick on its owner for good. It’s called "The Wartville Wizard", by Don Madden. It’s a great read. When the entire town finally went out to confront him, he looked upon them, and said: “Hello, slobs!” After hearing a piece of his mind, they felt ashamed and promised to not do it again.
However much I have dreamed of doing this, I don’t think the wizard resolved anything. The townspeople acted out of fear, and fear is a short-lived motivator. The forces that mold our sense of individual and collective purpose are attraction to beauty and thirst for knowledge. Surely, these were the Wizard’s next projects.
Attraction to beauty is an inborn magnet that pulls our heart towards decency and nobility, towards acts of generosity, solidarity and friendship, draws out love for the majesty, harmony and diversity of nature, and compels us to express and contemplate these sentiments through art. Clearly it is manifested when we appreciate the magnificence of an ideal, the elegance of a scientific theory and the perfection of universal principles. Significantly, it is the motor behind our search for meaning and purpose, which extends to desire for order in social and administrative relationships.
So, what guides and motivates people who throw trash in the street? At first glace it would seem that these people have been deprived of this sense. However, upon a closer look it is apparent that while overdeveloping a warped sense of feminine corporal beauty, they have underdeveloped this innate sense when it requires seeing nature as an extension of oneself. Nature is a sphere of life that does not concern us; it is out there to be dealt with as needed. Just as we can choose to develop certain qualities of our personality over others, we can also let the river that is popular culture take us downstream at its will. In places so deprived of basic quality education like Ecuador (as well as in places not so deprived), this stream leads more often than not to the ocean of trash. Trashy music, food, entertainment, relationships, words, habits, etc… It saddens to see people with such joyous, receptive and generous hearts let them absorb such enormous amounts of rubbish.
The Wartville Wizard maintained his distance from the townspeople because he couldn’t communicate with them; the abyss that separated them from him prevented him from understanding their plight. Their subsequent shame and promises failed to change this; they were still slobs in his mind. The real lesson here is that the Wizard needed to change as much as the townspeople, but because he thought he was right about the trash bit, he couldn’t see it this way. Judging others relegated him to weirdo status, and weird people can’t teach normal people anything, except through fear of course.
I couldn’t say anything to my busmate today because I am weird to him, which puts part of the burden of change on me if I want to open people’s hearts. If I want to help my friend develop his innate sense of attraction to true beauty, to extend his own sense of self perception to mother nature, I have to begin by exuding a beautiful character, one that connects hearts, inspires and most importantly, learns from others.
I learned my lesson a few years ago when on a longer journey mine was the only window that opened. I felt fortunate at the time given the outside temperature was over 30° C, and inside it wasn’t much cooler. A street vendor got on as the bus went over a speed bump and sold a bunch of rice and chicken lunches in small, cheap Tupperware type containers. My fortune turned into horror, however, as one by one people stood up to throw their empty containers out my window. I closed it, they reopened it. I asked one if he thought Ecuador was a beautiful country, and he gave me a questioning stare that said a thousand words. I closed my window repeatedly until people decided that it was easier to ask the driver to open the bus door and dispose of their trash that way. The gringo doesn’t understand how things work in our country. Why do they come here anyway? Well, as long as they spend their dollars…
I have made more than a busfull of enemies over the years here. The last town I lived in had a beautiful little river that ran right behind our house. Downstream about 100 meters were a bunch of houses out of which little old ladies would emerge daily to ceremoniously dump their plastic garbage bags in the river. Hey lady, this is YOUR town, your river. You live here. Blank stare. Sir, don’t throw those sacks in the river, they contaminate it. Give it to the garbage men when they come by. They don’t come by here. Oh. But…
One of my children’s favorite books is about an old man who, after years of picking up bags and bags of trash outside of his house, and becoming more and more resentful about it, discovered one day that he had POWER over trash. With a flick of his finger he could make improperly discarded trash fly back and stick on its owner for good. It’s called "The Wartville Wizard", by Don Madden. It’s a great read. When the entire town finally went out to confront him, he looked upon them, and said: “Hello, slobs!” After hearing a piece of his mind, they felt ashamed and promised to not do it again.
However much I have dreamed of doing this, I don’t think the wizard resolved anything. The townspeople acted out of fear, and fear is a short-lived motivator. The forces that mold our sense of individual and collective purpose are attraction to beauty and thirst for knowledge. Surely, these were the Wizard’s next projects.
Attraction to beauty is an inborn magnet that pulls our heart towards decency and nobility, towards acts of generosity, solidarity and friendship, draws out love for the majesty, harmony and diversity of nature, and compels us to express and contemplate these sentiments through art. Clearly it is manifested when we appreciate the magnificence of an ideal, the elegance of a scientific theory and the perfection of universal principles. Significantly, it is the motor behind our search for meaning and purpose, which extends to desire for order in social and administrative relationships.
So, what guides and motivates people who throw trash in the street? At first glace it would seem that these people have been deprived of this sense. However, upon a closer look it is apparent that while overdeveloping a warped sense of feminine corporal beauty, they have underdeveloped this innate sense when it requires seeing nature as an extension of oneself. Nature is a sphere of life that does not concern us; it is out there to be dealt with as needed. Just as we can choose to develop certain qualities of our personality over others, we can also let the river that is popular culture take us downstream at its will. In places so deprived of basic quality education like Ecuador (as well as in places not so deprived), this stream leads more often than not to the ocean of trash. Trashy music, food, entertainment, relationships, words, habits, etc… It saddens to see people with such joyous, receptive and generous hearts let them absorb such enormous amounts of rubbish.
The Wartville Wizard maintained his distance from the townspeople because he couldn’t communicate with them; the abyss that separated them from him prevented him from understanding their plight. Their subsequent shame and promises failed to change this; they were still slobs in his mind. The real lesson here is that the Wizard needed to change as much as the townspeople, but because he thought he was right about the trash bit, he couldn’t see it this way. Judging others relegated him to weirdo status, and weird people can’t teach normal people anything, except through fear of course.
I couldn’t say anything to my busmate today because I am weird to him, which puts part of the burden of change on me if I want to open people’s hearts. If I want to help my friend develop his innate sense of attraction to true beauty, to extend his own sense of self perception to mother nature, I have to begin by exuding a beautiful character, one that connects hearts, inspires and most importantly, learns from others.
May 14, 2025
Great book with a great lesson. The lesson: Not to litter and to throw your trash out where it's supposed to go and not on the ground. Illustrations are outdated, but nicely done. Very colorful. I also really liked how everyone thought he was a wizard. I mean in some way he kind of was, but with a little help from planet Earth/Mother Nature.
April 18, 2022
I would give this one 6 stars if I could!! The town is being overrun by trash and one man tries to stop it. Suddenly he is granted the power to send the trash back to the person who dropped it! So funny! And a great message!
April 7, 2023
This wasn't the most entertaining book but I can tip my hat to the author for its message and cool illustrations. I thought the message was powerful and I am glad someone is trying to teach youth to take ownership of their stuff and do their part for the environment.
March 29, 2019
RAR April picture book reads. Fun story to read to teach people not to litter..krb 3/29/19
July 6, 2020
Love the illustrations.
December 10, 2020
A nice YouTube reading of this book:
https://youtu.be/XpJWNMqxxus
https://youtu.be/XpJWNMqxxus
May 7, 2021
Fantastic book!
February 15, 2023
Adorable and funny with a great lesson! My first graders loved this book. Lots of giggles over Mrs. Botts and, of course, Jimmy VanSlammer.
February 21, 2023
Great illustrations, a little bit of a longer book with more words so probably for older grades. It has a great message on how it is important to clean up after yourself especially garbage.
March 13, 2024
An amusing story about a town learning to stop littering.
November 10, 2023
The Wartville Wizard by Don Madden
“The Wartville Wizard” is a great example of a more complex and literary picture book that can be enjoyed by and used for older readers as well as be read to younger readers. The story is about an old man who lived on top of a hill. He loved nature one day he went for a walk and found that there were all kinds of trash hiding under the plants he saw from his window. After that we went out everyday rain or shine and picked up garbage in his burlap sack. When he finally filled up his big barrel with trash, he decided it was all too much and walked away into the woods where he talked to mother nature. She gave him the power over trash, and the old man became the Wartville Wizard. He used his powers to make people's litter stick to them. After the whole town had trash stuck to their bodies, some to the extent they couldn’t be seen, they went to the Wizard begging for him to stop. After he made them promise to stop littering, the Old Man sent them home and released the trash from their skin, teaching everyone an important lesson about litter. Madden makes his readers fall in love with this grumpy old man as well as Wartsville through his beautiful and bright illustrations. The book makes great use of white space, double paged images, and a little bunny that can be found on every page to keep the reader involved. Some illustrations will make the reader laugh out loud funny like when we see Jimmy who is a ball of trash with legs by the end. This book is great for students to read in grades 3-5 or as a lesson on the first day of school about keeping the classroom clean and not littering for any grade.
“The Wartville Wizard” is a great example of a more complex and literary picture book that can be enjoyed by and used for older readers as well as be read to younger readers. The story is about an old man who lived on top of a hill. He loved nature one day he went for a walk and found that there were all kinds of trash hiding under the plants he saw from his window. After that we went out everyday rain or shine and picked up garbage in his burlap sack. When he finally filled up his big barrel with trash, he decided it was all too much and walked away into the woods where he talked to mother nature. She gave him the power over trash, and the old man became the Wartville Wizard. He used his powers to make people's litter stick to them. After the whole town had trash stuck to their bodies, some to the extent they couldn’t be seen, they went to the Wizard begging for him to stop. After he made them promise to stop littering, the Old Man sent them home and released the trash from their skin, teaching everyone an important lesson about litter. Madden makes his readers fall in love with this grumpy old man as well as Wartsville through his beautiful and bright illustrations. The book makes great use of white space, double paged images, and a little bunny that can be found on every page to keep the reader involved. Some illustrations will make the reader laugh out loud funny like when we see Jimmy who is a ball of trash with legs by the end. This book is great for students to read in grades 3-5 or as a lesson on the first day of school about keeping the classroom clean and not littering for any grade.
April 24, 2012
This is a great book to teach about taking care of the environment. It will cover the pollution aspect of 2nd grade very well. It also make you think about making the right choice. It has a be careful what you wish for theme as well.
April 4, 2016
This story is rather lengthy, but great for read aloud and entertaining upper elementary aged students. Follow the Wizard of Wartville as we teaches the townspeople the importance of taking care of the environment.
Read
January 11, 2015Fantasy - 1st grade lesson
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews