Plastic: Past, Present, and Future

by Eun-ju Kim, Ji-won Lee (Illustrations), Joungmin Lee Comfort (Translator)

The world consumes over 300 million tonnes of plastic each year. But when did we start using plastic? And why? Where does all the plastic waste go?

Journey through the life cycle of plastic – how plastics are produced and recycled, the many uses of plastics throughout the last century, how our plastic use and pollution has spiralled out of control, and what we can do about it.

Genres: Nonfiction, Picture Books, Childrens, Science, Environment, Conservation, Nature

36 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way the book started with a clear and memorable example of how plastic is very different from other materials and then went on to discuss where we use it in our daily lives. It addresses the issue of plastic pollution and what can be done to reduce it - a very timely topic which is necessary to discuss and act on!
The book is beautifully illustrated with attractive bold colours. The text is clear, conscise, and informative, and covers the topic from all possible angles without being repetitive or condescending.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Barry Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Watch my review on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAI3m...

Fantastic! Highly recommended for children and adults

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts w bath toys that spilled into ocean and were carried by current around the globe. Why did they survive? Then goes into how things are created from plastic, different kinds of plastic, how it’s made our lives better, how those same qualities make it such a serious problem, and how people are working on solutions. Informative but retro graphics and color palette may be off-putting to some young readers.

[Reading Canuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explores the evolution of plastic, from creation, to its uses, to how it effects our environment. It highlights the good qualities of plastic while reminding the reader the damages of overusing plastic. The story is presented in a simple and informative way, with descriptive illustrations.

💡 Lesson Idea:
Read the story and ask children to open up their lunch kits to discuss which items are made out of plastic (container, yogurt cups, etc.). Go outside with tongs/gloves and help clean the school playground by sorting out the plastic, so it can be recycled.

For more lesson ideas, check out @readingcanuck on Instagram.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars
This was a simple book about plastic. The good the bad and the ugly!
It was informative and interesting!
Is it an award winner... Not for me but still a good book!

[Scribe Publications]

[R]eaders are launched into a close examination of plastic — how it came to be, how it’s made and used, and how it has changed the world, for better and for worse. The book objectively presents the petroleum-based substance’s contributions to the field of medicine and to the accessibility of manufactured goods alongside its increasingly harsh toll on the environment ... Lee’s boldly coloured digital illustrations attractively and neatly chart out complex phenomena such as microplastics consumption. STARRED REVIEW
Publishers Weekly

Author Kim and illustrator Lee offer scenes to help kids digest the complex story of plastics ... [R]efreshingly, plastics recycling is not presented as a catchall solution for single-use plastics. Readers are encouraged to reduce single-use plastic consumption, to learn about innovative solutions from scientists and activists, and to acknowledge that eliminating plastics use is unlikely. Illustrations of people throughout show varied skin tones consistent with the bold style used by the illustrator.
Kirkus

[T]ake a brightly coloured look at plastic, starting with the story of bath toys set loose in the ocean. Even-handed and informative, the book details the many helpful uses of plastic, its damage to the environment, and the latest work in cleaning up, recycling, and reformulating plastics.
The Virginian-Pilot

This Korean import is more than the history and manufacture of plastic…[I]llustrations are done in simple, subdued tones that easily explain past and present history… [S]imply and expertly explains the pros and cons of plastic making it very useful in any class on environmentalism, climate change and recycling … A timely and important subject.
Youth Services Book Review

Plastic is one of the most celebrated and regrettable inventions that has become a presumed indispensable material throughout the world but at what cost? A thorough and highly engaging look at the history, facts and what do we do next with this long lasting material that has become increasingly abundant.
Jesica Sweedler-DeHart, Librarian Review, Neill Public Library

[Scribe Publications]

[R]eaders are launched into a close examination of plastic — how it came to be, how it’s made and used, and how it has changed the world, for better and for worse. The book objectively presents the petroleum-based substance’s contributions to the field of medicine and to the accessibility of manufactured goods alongside its increasingly harsh toll on the environment ... Lee’s boldly coloured digital illustrations attractively and neatly chart out complex phenomena such as microplastics consumption. STARRED REVIEW
Publishers Weekly

Author Kim and illustrator Lee offer scenes to help kids digest the complex story of plastics ... [R]efreshingly, plastics recycling is not presented as a catchall solution for single-use plastics. Readers are encouraged to reduce single-use plastic consumption, to learn about innovative solutions from scientists and activists, and to acknowledge that eliminating plastics use is unlikely. Illustrations of people throughout show varied skin tones consistent with the bold style used by the illustrator.
Kirkus

[T]ake a brightly coloured look at plastic, starting with the story of bath toys set loose in the ocean. Even-handed and informative, the book details the many helpful uses of plastic, its damage to the environment, and the latest work in cleaning up, recycling, and reformulating plastics.
The Virginian-Pilot

This Korean import is more than the history and manufacture of plastic…[I]llustrations are done in simple, subdued tones that easily explain past and present history… [S]imply and expertly explains the pros and cons of plastic making it very useful in any class on environmentalism, climate change and recycling … A timely and important subject.
Youth Services Book Review

Plastic is one of the most celebrated and regrettable inventions that has become a presumed indispensable material throughout the world but at what cost? A thorough and highly engaging look at the history, facts and what do we do next with this long lasting material that has become increasingly abundant.
Jesica Sweedler-DeHart, Librarian Review, Neill Public Library

[Justyna Sztuczka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zastanawialiście się kiedykolwiek, ile plastiku wykorzystujecie w ciągu jednego dnia? Ile widzicie, ile macie w swoich rękach, ile wyrzucacie?

Współcześnie bardzo trudno wyobrazić sobie życie na Ziemi bez plastiku. Każdego roku ludzie zużywają go ponad 300 milionów ton. Ta liczba jest wręcz niewyobrażalna. Zatrważający jest również fakt, że wielu z nas w ogóle nie wie, z czego powstaje plastik, jaki był cel jego wynalezienia i kiedy to się stało.

Idealna, dla przyswojenia tego rodzaju wiedzy jest książka "Plastik fantastik?" autorstwa Eun-Ju Kim oraz Ji-Won Lee, która wyszła spod skrzydeł @wydawnictwobabaryba . Co prawda jest to książka skierowana głównie do dzieci, jednak również dorośli skorzystają na jej przeczytaniu. Ta niewielka objętościowo pozycja zawiera mnóstwo cennych informacji na temat plastiku. Poznajemy cel jego narodzin, jego zalety, wady oraz fakty opowiadające się przeciw niemu, gdyż jest to bardzo niebezpieczny twór dla środowiska naturalnego naszej planety. W książce tej, do której prawa zakupiono w wielu krajach Europy, co tylko świadczy o rosnącym wciąż problemie z plastikiem, znajdziemy ciekawostki, odpowiedzi na nurtujące nas i nasze dzieci pytania, a dodatkowo także wskazówki, co robić, by plastiku było mniej, by obchodzić się z nim rozsądnie.

"Plastik fantastik?" to kolejna fenomenalna, pełna świetnych ilustracji i ciekawej, intrygującej, zaspokajającej nasze umysły wiedzy w najlepszym wydaniu. Polecam Wam z całego serca!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gives a history of the good things plastic has done, but then shows the devastation it now causes. It promotes recycling, which I am all for, but what happens when your recycling companies won't take plastic anymore like mine? What we really need is something similar to the solution used to dissolve opioids into a harmless substance. So all you people smarter than me, you could work on that.

[Samantha Li · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! It has great illustrations, easy to understand text, and informs kids about the pros and cons of plastic.

The end gives a few ideas that kids can do to help avoid plastic and help the earth.

[Brittany]

Read and reviewed for School Library Journal (issue 2020-04-01).

Full text TK:
https://www.slj.com/?reviewDetail=pla...

[Tara Thieleke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative introduction to plastic. It briefly describes the history of plastic, how it’s produced, the basic pros and cons of plastic use, plastic recycling, the environmental threat plastic poses, and points out some potential solutions scientists are working on and ordinary people can implement to reduce our plastic problems.

[Christine Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great approach to environmentalism. I like how Eun-ju Kim acknowledges the ways plastic has contributed, talked about what is being done, and posed the question to the reader so they could think of the solution while knowing the facts.
The illustrations were fun and informative. They reminded me of a slideshow presentation.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice overview of benefits and negatives to plastic, like how the illustrations depict processes.

[Miss Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An elementary level nonfiction book about plastic and its plusses and mintues with history and hope for the future. Easy to follow with great facts.

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a truly excellent and very educational book that takes readers through all the ways we’ve integrated plastic into our lives, why it’s useful, and why it’s an environmental nightmare. It also considers, in a kid-friendly way, what we may be able to do about it. Very highly recommended.

Thank you to Scribble US and Edelweiss for DRC access.