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Michael Recycle
Perfect for Earth Day on April 22, but important for teaching evironmental lessons year around! Michael Recycle tells the adventures of a young superhero whose power allows him to teach people about recycling.
There once was a town
Called Abberdoo-Rimey,
Where garbage was left
To grow rotten and slimy.
It never smelled fresh.
The air was all hazy.
But the people did nothing.
They got rather lazy.
But the townspeople are called to attention when a streak of green crash-lands in the town dump! It’s not a bird, nor a plane, but a new kind of superhero—Michael Recycle, who has a plan to save Abberdoo-Rimey. . . and the world!
Fresh and funny, Michael Recycle will entertain young and old while gently imparting an important message about recycling and environmental awareness. A special section of Go Green Tips (from Michael Recycle himself) encourages all kids to become environmental superheroes.
There once was a town
Called Abberdoo-Rimey,
Where garbage was left
To grow rotten and slimy.
It never smelled fresh.
The air was all hazy.
But the people did nothing.
They got rather lazy.
But the townspeople are called to attention when a streak of green crash-lands in the town dump! It’s not a bird, nor a plane, but a new kind of superhero—Michael Recycle, who has a plan to save Abberdoo-Rimey. . . and the world!
Fresh and funny, Michael Recycle will entertain young and old while gently imparting an important message about recycling and environmental awareness. A special section of Go Green Tips (from Michael Recycle himself) encourages all kids to become environmental superheroes.
28 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2008
11 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
June 9, 2014
I had an epiphany a couple of years ago as I was watching the movie Avatar. It was at the end, when the triumphant indigenous kicked the humans off their planet. The main character says, "We sent the aliens back to their dying world," or something like that. I was surprised at how one-sided the happy ending was. That is, you have a character who was once part of the human group, and now he's part of the alien group, so he should be uniquely able to relate to both groups and help them find mutual benefit and peace. But he doesn't. He says, in effect, "We won, you lost, and we don't care what happens to you." It struck me as a surprisingly un-Christian attitude for a hero. Then I thought back on the Eywa (sp?) concept in the movie, where the people are overtly worshiping Mother Nature, and I had my epiphany: environmentalism is not just the movement of our day, it is the RELIGION of our day.
I give that lengthy premise in my review for this mostly innocuous little picture book because of one couplet near the end of this book. The people are singing praises to this hero who has taught them to clean up the Earth, and they sing,
"To Michael Recycle, the green-caped crusader!
Our super-green hero, the planet's new savior!"
You might say I'm nit-picking, but that bothers me. I'm all for teaching my kids about environmental consciousness (there's a reason I was reading them a book called "Michael Recycle"), but that's not my religion.
Anyway, it's a fine little book about cleaning up your town and cutting down your waste, but it went too far (and the picture of Miss Moonkotch is kind of freaky).
I give that lengthy premise in my review for this mostly innocuous little picture book because of one couplet near the end of this book. The people are singing praises to this hero who has taught them to clean up the Earth, and they sing,
"To Michael Recycle, the green-caped crusader!
Our super-green hero, the planet's new savior!"
You might say I'm nit-picking, but that bothers me. I'm all for teaching my kids about environmental consciousness (there's a reason I was reading them a book called "Michael Recycle"), but that's not my religion.
Anyway, it's a fine little book about cleaning up your town and cutting down your waste, but it went too far (and the picture of Miss Moonkotch is kind of freaky).
January 28, 2018
Jonas Publishing and Worthwhile Books, 2008, 32 pgs., Genre: Fiction, Grade level: 1-5, GR level: M, Lexile level: 640L
Michael Recycle is one of my favorite picture books due to its inspiring moral message, easy relation to everyday experiences, and its relationship to Earth Day. The story takes place in a town called Abberdoo-Rimey in which the streets are covered in garbage due to the residents choosing not to do anything. One day, the atmosphere of the town is changed when a superhero named Michael Recycle appears and tells the citizens they need to clean the town and recycle. With this information, the residents clean up their community and follow his good example. As they begin to clean, they start to witness the benefits of picking up after themselves and helping the environment. Michael Recycle returns for only a short time to witness the town's new look before he moves on to help the next town. The last few pages of the book continue to inspire the reader to go green and recycle by giving them tips on how they can make a difference in their own communities.
Teaching ideas:
This is a picture book that should be taught and talked about. It would work well for a read aloud for a whole class in the elementary age group setting. You can easily create a series of lessons with this book leading up as an introduction to Earth Day. For this book, I would have students write a persuasive letter as a response to literature to convince a staff member of the school to go green or recycle with specific requests. To serve as a model, an example I would provide for the students would include writing to the principal to request an indoor or outdoor gardening system to grow food for a salad bar or other farm to table healthy eating system. Other options they could use would include writing to the cafeteria staff suggesting to use compost rather than garbage bags for unwanted leftovers or asking a maintenance workers to use energy-efficient light bulbs in the classrooms.
NYS ELA CCS:
RL.4.11, W.4.1
Michael Recycle is one of my favorite picture books due to its inspiring moral message, easy relation to everyday experiences, and its relationship to Earth Day. The story takes place in a town called Abberdoo-Rimey in which the streets are covered in garbage due to the residents choosing not to do anything. One day, the atmosphere of the town is changed when a superhero named Michael Recycle appears and tells the citizens they need to clean the town and recycle. With this information, the residents clean up their community and follow his good example. As they begin to clean, they start to witness the benefits of picking up after themselves and helping the environment. Michael Recycle returns for only a short time to witness the town's new look before he moves on to help the next town. The last few pages of the book continue to inspire the reader to go green and recycle by giving them tips on how they can make a difference in their own communities.
Teaching ideas:
This is a picture book that should be taught and talked about. It would work well for a read aloud for a whole class in the elementary age group setting. You can easily create a series of lessons with this book leading up as an introduction to Earth Day. For this book, I would have students write a persuasive letter as a response to literature to convince a staff member of the school to go green or recycle with specific requests. To serve as a model, an example I would provide for the students would include writing to the principal to request an indoor or outdoor gardening system to grow food for a salad bar or other farm to table healthy eating system. Other options they could use would include writing to the cafeteria staff suggesting to use compost rather than garbage bags for unwanted leftovers or asking a maintenance workers to use energy-efficient light bulbs in the classrooms.
NYS ELA CCS:
RL.4.11, W.4.1
April 9, 2015
I like the idea of a superhero for recycling. My earth-conscious 2nd-grader loved the story. The rhyming scheme is strong and consistent.
But...
A couple of little nit-picks kinda bothered me. First, Michael looks like a girl, with the rosy cheeks and round eyes with long eyelashes. Not that a boy can't have those qualities, but more an issue that cartoonists typically use those very qualities to indicate "girl." And so I was confused for a while when first reading the book.
Second, Michael Recycle doesn't actually DO anything. He shows up, tells everyone to recycle, and leaves. The regular people do all the work. Why is Michael Recycle the hero? I know, nit-pick.
Third, as other reviewers have mentioned, hailing Michael Recycle as the "world's new savior" seems a little off. I doubt it was meant to be sacrilegious, but surely there could have been other ways to express the sentiment that recycling saves the world? I think the word "new" is a big part of the problem.
But...
A couple of little nit-picks kinda bothered me. First, Michael looks like a girl, with the rosy cheeks and round eyes with long eyelashes. Not that a boy can't have those qualities, but more an issue that cartoonists typically use those very qualities to indicate "girl." And so I was confused for a while when first reading the book.
Second, Michael Recycle doesn't actually DO anything. He shows up, tells everyone to recycle, and leaves. The regular people do all the work. Why is Michael Recycle the hero? I know, nit-pick.
Third, as other reviewers have mentioned, hailing Michael Recycle as the "world's new savior" seems a little off. I doubt it was meant to be sacrilegious, but surely there could have been other ways to express the sentiment that recycling saves the world? I think the word "new" is a big part of the problem.
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May 6, 2012I used to read this book as part of workshop on packaging and recycling that I used to facilitate with with Year 1's in my role previous role as education officer. The book tells the story of town full of wasteful lazy people who litter and certainly don't recycle. Michael Recycle arrives and teaches the people to clean up their act recycling paper, plastic and cans and putting their rubbish in the bin. In the end the town is clean, bright and colourful and the people love Micheal Recycle.
The children I used to read this to loved the fact that Micheal Recycle is a superhero and enjoyed the rhyming structure of the book. I would recommend this book to Reception, Year 1 and 2 when discussing recycling or the environment as well as healthy living.
The children I used to read this to loved the fact that Micheal Recycle is a superhero and enjoyed the rhyming structure of the book. I would recommend this book to Reception, Year 1 and 2 when discussing recycling or the environment as well as healthy living.
October 6, 2020
I think this book would be really useful in class to encourage recycling and a 'go greener' type campaign in school. It could also encourage activities such as going to the local park to pick up litter and help the community become greener.
April 27, 2020
Meh - stewardship of the earth is a good thing, but I'm just not keen on this approach.
March 11, 2021
Not only does the book have a good flow and rhythm to it but it also can teach a child such a great lesson. Michael Recycle is an awesome read aloud to use in the classroom to teach the importance of recycling. Throughout the book they give a variety of examples of items that could be recycled as well as different harmful things that happen to the earth when we don't recycle. This is a great book to incorporate into an entire lesson over helping the earth.
October 20, 2011
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel and Illustrated by Alexander Colombo, is another book in this genre. This is the story of Michael Recycle, a flying, caped protagonist with a colander as protective headwear, who battles a green crusade and encourages a town of lazy, dirty and wasteful inhabitants to get their act together and go green. They start recycling paper, cans, plastic etc. The vocabulary is definitely more British; think rubbish and litter. The Illustrations are comic; bright smiley characters with quirky expressions. Michael Recycle is an appealing boy-superhero, and the rhyming text should produce some giggles. I think it would make another good addition to a classroom green theme. It presents the recycling message in a vibrant and humorous manner, sure to appeal to 3-7 year olds.
October 6, 2012
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel is a great story about recycling and keeping the Earth green. Michael Recycle a superhero who wears a colander on his head flew to the town of Abberdoo-Rimey. Here he landed and looked to the town to help clean up and recycle so that they are able to enjoy fresh air and clean water. The town pitches in and cleans up so that the town is sparkling and they can see the blue skies and water. Now they never waste and everyone is always happy.
Ellie Bethel wrote a fabulous book for children about the new needs for our Earth. She wrote the book in poem form so that it made it sound fun and sing song like for children. It is a fun book with fabulously bright colored pictures that kids will love. I would use this book with the children to teach about Earth day and about doing their parts to help the planet.
I recommend this book for children ages 4-8.
Ellie Bethel wrote a fabulous book for children about the new needs for our Earth. She wrote the book in poem form so that it made it sound fun and sing song like for children. It is a fun book with fabulously bright colored pictures that kids will love. I would use this book with the children to teach about Earth day and about doing their parts to help the planet.
I recommend this book for children ages 4-8.
April 3, 2013
Michael Recycle is a green caped crusader here to save our world! This is a wonderful book with great facts on how we can help save our planet. Beautifully illustrated the authors have helped make the idea of recycling fun for children through its rhyming verses. As Michael helps the town clean up he helps make the lazy residents see that recycling is not as boring as they thought it would be.
We used this story in year 3 when talking to the class about being environmentally aware, leading to a discussion on things we can do or already do to help save our planet. This is a great book with many facts and ideas.
The illustrations are bright and animated helping grab the attention of the more visual learners. This is an easy to read book so children will be comfortable if they were to read it alone.
We used this story in year 3 when talking to the class about being environmentally aware, leading to a discussion on things we can do or already do to help save our planet. This is a great book with many facts and ideas.
The illustrations are bright and animated helping grab the attention of the more visual learners. This is an easy to read book so children will be comfortable if they were to read it alone.
June 8, 2016
Michael Recycle tells the tail of a recycling superhero, who is out to save the world. He appears in towns that have been polluted, to try to teach them how to take care of their area. Readers will enjoy this silly story, as they are learning about the importance of taking care of the earth.
This story is a great tool for teaching both rhyming and prediction. The reader will begin to think about the information that Michael Recycle gives the town to determine if they are going to successfully clean up their environment. Each page of the story has rhyming words embedded in the story. These words are sometimes less common phrases, which also provides great opportunity for introducing new vocabulary.
This story is a great tool for teaching both rhyming and prediction. The reader will begin to think about the information that Michael Recycle gives the town to determine if they are going to successfully clean up their environment. Each page of the story has rhyming words embedded in the story. These words are sometimes less common phrases, which also provides great opportunity for introducing new vocabulary.
January 23, 2020
The concept of the book meant it could have been good, but I found myself slightly disappointed in it.
So I did like the rhyming of the pages, the rhythm was pretty obvious making it easy to read. The illustrations were simple and colorful, and appropriate for the book. I also liked the tips at the end of the book.
My problem with the book I think is the Michael Recycle doesn't really help the town clean up or show them how, he tells them "you need to clean up or else" and then vanishes to reappear only at the end to tell the town good job on cleaning up. Superheroes don't just tell you what to do, they help you. This is what disappointed me and I probably won't read other Michael Recycle books.
So I did like the rhyming of the pages, the rhythm was pretty obvious making it easy to read. The illustrations were simple and colorful, and appropriate for the book. I also liked the tips at the end of the book.
My problem with the book I think is the Michael Recycle doesn't really help the town clean up or show them how, he tells them "you need to clean up or else" and then vanishes to reappear only at the end to tell the town good job on cleaning up. Superheroes don't just tell you what to do, they help you. This is what disappointed me and I probably won't read other Michael Recycle books.
July 21, 2013
Michael Recycle by Ellie Bethel is such a great book to help teach children about the benefits to recycling in a fun super hero way! The illustrations help draw you into the story. This book would be great for K-3 graders. I feel as a teacher you could a few lessons about of this book, not just teaching about recycling. As a teacher you could also talk about the environment, conservation of resources and pollutions or even rhyming and/or poetry could be used as well.
I would recommend this book for teachers, because it would be great for a mentor text for many different lessons and it is a cute interesting story that will draw in the reader with Michael who pretends to be a super hero.
I would recommend this book for teachers, because it would be great for a mentor text for many different lessons and it is a cute interesting story that will draw in the reader with Michael who pretends to be a super hero.
May 6, 2016
Micahel Recycle by Ellie Bethel is about a superhero boy who shows up to towns and convinces them to be smarter with the environment. In the city Abberdoo-Rimey, he got them to completely change their lazy, gross, wasting ways.
I love this book! It's an adorable way to teach kids the importance of recycling. The book reads like a rhyming poem and would make kids laugh. The pictures done by Alexandra Colombo are really cute and the kids would love them. Both the flow of the story and the pictures remind me of a Dr. Seuss book. If I teach younger elementary school, I will definitely want this book in my classroom. I could use it to start a recycling project in the classroom.
I love this book! It's an adorable way to teach kids the importance of recycling. The book reads like a rhyming poem and would make kids laugh. The pictures done by Alexandra Colombo are really cute and the kids would love them. Both the flow of the story and the pictures remind me of a Dr. Seuss book. If I teach younger elementary school, I will definitely want this book in my classroom. I could use it to start a recycling project in the classroom.
September 9, 2010
This is a perfect book to read around Earth day or at any time of the year to remind children to keep our planet clean. It's fun rhyming dialogue is engaging to students while also reinforcing a lesson at the same time. It makes children feel as though they too can be superheroes who clean up trash around them or put cans in the recycling bin instead of the landfills. To me, it is a less profound form of the Lorax but still teaches children that they have power to make a significant difference in our world.
April 22, 2012
Science content about recycling is included in this book as well as it being a literature book as well. The recycling tips in the back certainly make it a content book. I would read this book with any age in elementary school.
The illustrations in this book are amazing. I would point them out specifically to the students to get them thinking about how they could make their illustrations better.
This book shows a lot of writer's voice. I would point out the specific spots to students, while I read it. There are numerous BIG words that you can read with great excitment.
The illustrations in this book are amazing. I would point them out specifically to the students to get them thinking about how they could make their illustrations better.
This book shows a lot of writer's voice. I would point out the specific spots to students, while I read it. There are numerous BIG words that you can read with great excitment.
October 7, 2019
This book is a really good story for children to read whilst also showing the importance of current issues around the world, such as recycling. It also engages children by using new vocabulary that they might not already know, for example 'stupendously'. The bright and colourful pictures help bring the story to life and give children something to see when reading the story.
October 16, 2020
An accessible book for all - using rhyme, superheroes and clear pictures. It would be great to follow this up with a discussion about what we can do to recycle, the impact we can have on our community and doing a junk modelling activity. This could link really nicely to some English activities such as an assembly about recycling and environmental issues or a persuasive pieces of writing.
December 7, 2010
This is a really cute book about a new type of super-hero. Michael Recycle teaches society about the importance of recycling. This is a great cross-curricular book. There are even tips for being green in the back.
May 21, 2018
This is a fun little rhyming book about a superhero who teaches neighbors to recycle.
I read this aloud to my library classes on Earth Day and they loved it!
It's a bit simplistic, but it opens up a lot of great discussion opportunities for the grade school kids.
Great teaching book.
I read this aloud to my library classes on Earth Day and they loved it!
It's a bit simplistic, but it opens up a lot of great discussion opportunities for the grade school kids.
Great teaching book.
July 27, 2017
Great book. I especially like that Michael Recycle is a super hero who didn't do all the work. He just got them started and EVERYONE worked to make it a better place. Nice message.
May 25, 2020
This book would be a great introduction to the recycling topic and helpful to see how the children think they can look after their own towns.
February 17, 2025
Michael Recycle is a fictional narrative about the importance of recycling and bringing the community together to save our planet. The illustrations in the book are fantastic and would hook students in getting them excited about recycling. I could see myself reading this book to help students stand up for what they believe in with the "Be Greener Campaign" or to teach about the importance of saving the Earth. At the end of the book, the author lists ways you can 'go green' and for an activity the students could choose one they plan to help save the environment.
January 2, 2026
I received an electronic ARC from IDW Books.
Michael Recycle appeared in this town to help them clean up the garbage. He taught them how to recycle and take pride in their space. Readers see the townspeople work together to clear out the junk that had piled up so high. When they were finished, they appreciated how much better everything looked and committed to keeping it that way. And Michael moved on to the next town but not before offering recycling tips to readers at the end. Brightly colored illustrations capture the energy and care needed for this story.
Michael Recycle appeared in this town to help them clean up the garbage. He taught them how to recycle and take pride in their space. Readers see the townspeople work together to clear out the junk that had piled up so high. When they were finished, they appreciated how much better everything looked and committed to keeping it that way. And Michael moved on to the next town but not before offering recycling tips to readers at the end. Brightly colored illustrations capture the energy and care needed for this story.
September 10, 2022
In the town of Abberdoo-Rimey, things are gross and kind of slimey! The air is brown, the sea is green, and the people have gotten very lazy! That's when Michael Recycle, the story's protagonist who wants to save our earth, comes to save their town!
This book is fairly simple and easy to follow, which I believe would be great for a kinder and 1st grade read aloud, and great to have on the shelf for 2nd and 3rd. For the lower level grades, this would be a great introduction to the theme/concept of recycling and caring for the world around you, and could be read as a science lesson opener. The setting and illustration will be easy for students to recognize and understand. Although short and simple, I think this book is good quality because it is able to establish a connection between the book, the reader, and the real world.
This book is fairly simple and easy to follow, which I believe would be great for a kinder and 1st grade read aloud, and great to have on the shelf for 2nd and 3rd. For the lower level grades, this would be a great introduction to the theme/concept of recycling and caring for the world around you, and could be read as a science lesson opener. The setting and illustration will be easy for students to recognize and understand. Although short and simple, I think this book is good quality because it is able to establish a connection between the book, the reader, and the real world.
February 7, 2023
Michael Recycle is such a fun and different book directed towards taking care of the earth, and how to properly recycle. Showing the importance of environmentalism throughout the town of Aberdoo-Rimey. This book would be perfect for Earth Day, or when introducing the importance of taking care of our environment. Understanding the impacts of over fishing the ability to transform our world for the cleaner, will only help our children.
October 28, 2025
I think this is a really good book to read for children about taking care of our earth. A good book for earth day. It gives an important message for children in a fun and colorful way. Explaining what will happen if we don’t take care of our home and it always gives some tips at the end for children to look for and try out.
July 4, 2019
This is a great resource to share with young kids about recycling. The pictures are wonderful, cute rhyme scheme, and nice how-to keep a green Earth at then end. Looking forward to using it and the series for Earth Day in April.
October 17, 2024
This book is about a town that is dirty until Michael comes through and tells them about recycling. In the back of this book is tips about how to recycle. I would use this book to teach about recycling and then start a project where we as a class recycle at home and in the classroom.
January 31, 2019
A good message and it rhymes. What can be better than that?!
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