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#2MINUTESUPERHERO #1
Kids Fight Plastic: How to Be a #2minutesuperhero
Kids can become ocean-saving superheroes with these plastic-fighting missions from best-selling author and environmental champion Martin Dorey.Every kid can be a superhero, fighting plastic waste at home, at school, and in their community. This engaging guide is chockfull of facts, vibrant art, graphics, and #2minutesuperhero missions—practical ways to take action now. Some ideas may spring to mind right away, such as picking up trash. Others are surprising, such as learning to cook with fresh ingredients or mending clothes. Readers will learn not only how to combat plastic waste head-on, but how to advocate for a cleaner world, beginning at home. Anti-plastic campaigner Martin Dorey brings both extensive experience and boundless enthusiasm to this essential book for young people who want to create a better world.
132 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2022
2 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Martin Dorey
20 books19 followersMartin Dorey is a surfer, writer, beach lover, and anti-plastic activist. He is the author of the best-selling No. More. Plastic. and founder of the Beach Clean Network and the #2minutebeachclean movement. Martin Dorey lives near the sea in Cornwall, England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 27, 2019
Kids Fight Plastic: How to be a #2minutesuperhero is a children’s non-fiction book by anti-plastic campaigner Martin Dorey and illustrated by Tim Wesson.
The book is split into 16 major missions that surround helping to save the planet, then within those chapters are smaller missions. So chapter one is ‘Get to Know Bad Stuff’ and it helps children identify different plastics. The smaller missions are things such as ‘Find Five Pieces of Good Plastic’ and ‘Five Pieces of Bad Plastic’.
Each mission has a points score and children are to keep score. At the end, the points are added up and they can work out what type of superhero they are.
The book is full of information and resources and each of the missions should take only a short while to complete. There is also a section at the back with websites that children can find out more about saving the planet and especially the oceans and sea creatures from plastic waste.
At a time when plastic pollution is at its worse and people want to help reduce it, Kids Fight Plastic is perfect for them to get to understand why it is bad and how they can help.
The book is split into 16 major missions that surround helping to save the planet, then within those chapters are smaller missions. So chapter one is ‘Get to Know Bad Stuff’ and it helps children identify different plastics. The smaller missions are things such as ‘Find Five Pieces of Good Plastic’ and ‘Five Pieces of Bad Plastic’.
Each mission has a points score and children are to keep score. At the end, the points are added up and they can work out what type of superhero they are.
The book is full of information and resources and each of the missions should take only a short while to complete. There is also a section at the back with websites that children can find out more about saving the planet and especially the oceans and sea creatures from plastic waste.
At a time when plastic pollution is at its worse and people want to help reduce it, Kids Fight Plastic is perfect for them to get to understand why it is bad and how they can help.
November 1, 2019
I’m not really sure how to feel after reading this book, it’s definitely a really good book at helping kids to understand how bad plastic is for our environment today and how to stop using so much, but a lot of the missions and advice in the book are not things that everyone can do and some will be difficult, especially for the parents of kids from poorer backgrounds, which might make both the parents and the kids in turn feel bad.
The book is all about fighting the use of plastic, and is filled with thick matt pages, which are all colourful and contain both pictures and text. The cover has a matt finish also and there’s even a note on the copyright page about the whole book being recyclable and made from non-plastic finishes! At the start of the book there’s a really good introduction all about how bad plastic is for our environment, the different types and which can be reclycled and explains to children how it can get into the oceans in lots of unexpected ways. This was interesting as I didn’t know exactly how it ends up in the oceans. It was also interesting to read how the author of the book began a movement of cleaning up a beach for 2 minutes which spread across the globe via social media.
After the introduction, the book is arranged into missions (chapters), each mission focuses on a different area of life, such as the bathroom, kitchen, clothing, etc. where kids (and adults) can make a real difference to the environment by refusing to use plastic, cleaning it up, and lots of other ways in which to help stop plastic ending up in the oceans and poluting our environment. The message about using less plastic is a very good one, it’s an environmental message I’ve always tried to share for years. I think most people can agree that plastic use has gotten out of hand and especially when it ends up in the ocean, its use is excessive and we need to find ways to make our world less polluted with plastic. So this book and the idea of it is a really good one and one I do support.
The missions all have an explanation behind why or how something is bad and what you can do in 2 minutes to improve things. There are various 2 minute things/challenges you can do within each mission (chapter) and each has a certain amount of points which if you’ve completed you can add at the end to see how big of a 2minutesuperhero you are. I like this aspect, especially when you discover at the end of the book that anyone scoring more than 0 gets praise for doing their bit (although more praise the better your score is of course). This makes the book not only fun but gives kids a real incentive to do something good for the environment.
However, for all the good the book does, I can’t help but notice something about some of the missions and it doesn’t sit so well with me.
For all the good the missions do in educating and giving kids ideas on how to say no to plastic in their lives (and of course I agree with all the reasons of why and want everyone to do their best to reduce their dependency on plastic) but, a lot of the advice given is for things that just aren’t possible for a lot of children, or rather, possible only if you have a decent income level as a family, and some of the behaviour the book encourages in children would not sit well with me or I think anyone who is a parent:
There are lots of things listed and I won’t detail them all here, but for example, kids are asked to try solid shampoo so they ditch the plastic shampoo bottles (this in theory is a good idea, again one I’d love to try out, but at the current time it’s still pretty hard to find a shop that stocks it everywhere and still more expensive than some of the cheapest bottled ones you can find – and not all parents will agree to the added cost or can afford it).
There are mentions of heading to markets or shops that are plastic-free where you can refill bottles of washing up liquid, flour, etc. which unfortunately I have never come across in the areas where I live, and only had a more expensive experience of them in central London.
There’s also mention of making things like paper table cloths or alternatives to cling film wrap which might be fun to make (and I’d love to try making the the wax wrap for myself!) but these also require families to purchase additional ingredients like the wax which not all families will be inclined to bother doing if you can’t buy them locally. And there’s suggestions of heading to a hobby store to a collect a roll paper to use as a paper table cloth which is definitely not that cheap for one use at a party – especially as there are paper alternatives available that are more widely available, easier to source and are far cheaper!
The illustrations in the book are very fun. Each mission has a background colour to it and there are fun images on every page. I do like the way that objects have been given faces and the way that the things that can be flushed down the toilet even have faces! Yes there’s a section on the toilet and how to make it a more plastic-free environment which can only be a good thing thinking about the horror stories of what people end up flushing down there! The illustrations just make the whole book feel more fun and I really felt like constantly reading through this book with the overall fun feel it has to each page.
As I said before, there are so many good points in the book and I really do like the message of saying no to plastic. But I do worry about how simple the author thinks things will be for kids to change as, despite their good intentions and understanding, many parents will not be able to accommodate the changes their kids might want. Re-using old plastic pots in gardening is an excellent idea as are a lot of others, but this book also tells kids to pester their parents, to be a real nuisance to them in the supermarket so parents buy plastic-free foods. While I still understand the sentiment behind trying to get your parents to go plastic-free, this behaviour of pestering is encouraged, rather than the more snesible approch of simply talking to parents. Having grown up and lived on the poverty line for a lot of my childhood I can say that the cheapest food available didn’t always come plastic-free and sometimes it was necessary to buy the pastic covered items instead of the plastic-free ones, desite not wanting to harm the planet. The alternatives that had no packaging were far more expensive and often out of my family’s price range.
While the book does a good job of encouraging to go plastic free, I do think it could also do more to encourage kids to re-use plastic things and show them how to re-use the plastic for making new toys and things rather than just talking about what to do when buying toys. Instead the book can make kids feel bad about wanting a toy that’s wrapped in plastic (especially as they might really want the toy and play with it a long time). I also dislike the fact the author specifically criticisese a certain chocolate egg brand for it’s plastic use and tells kids to simply avoid eating them altogether, offering no alternatives on how to use the plastic container instead. You only have to look online these days to see the hundreds of uses that people have for these including keeping condiments for travel, and even making minion toys out of them! (I even made xmas tree decorations out of them as a child hiding little sweets inside!). My point is that there are so many ideas of how to re-use or upcycle the pastic that already exists which could have been included rather than simply telling kids to not buy what could be their favourite chocolate.
I don’t want to make this a too critical review, this book really does have such a good environmental message which I support and the illustrations really do add to this making it feel brilliant. I love the fact this book actualy makes you feel you can make a real difference, even encouranging kids to contact important people (like their MP) to do something! I think in the longer term the advice offered can and will be adopted by more and more people, but at this point in time, when so many people struggle finiancially and there is still a lot of plastic being used out there, perhaps the message shouldn’t just be about being plastic-free, but also how to really re-use it so we don’t throw away anymore of what already exists and instead find a good use for it too. I really think this book could have included more examples of what to to if you couldn’t go completely plastic-free, giving those kids whose parents can’t do everything a chance to feel they are doing something great too!
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy for review.
The book is all about fighting the use of plastic, and is filled with thick matt pages, which are all colourful and contain both pictures and text. The cover has a matt finish also and there’s even a note on the copyright page about the whole book being recyclable and made from non-plastic finishes! At the start of the book there’s a really good introduction all about how bad plastic is for our environment, the different types and which can be reclycled and explains to children how it can get into the oceans in lots of unexpected ways. This was interesting as I didn’t know exactly how it ends up in the oceans. It was also interesting to read how the author of the book began a movement of cleaning up a beach for 2 minutes which spread across the globe via social media.
After the introduction, the book is arranged into missions (chapters), each mission focuses on a different area of life, such as the bathroom, kitchen, clothing, etc. where kids (and adults) can make a real difference to the environment by refusing to use plastic, cleaning it up, and lots of other ways in which to help stop plastic ending up in the oceans and poluting our environment. The message about using less plastic is a very good one, it’s an environmental message I’ve always tried to share for years. I think most people can agree that plastic use has gotten out of hand and especially when it ends up in the ocean, its use is excessive and we need to find ways to make our world less polluted with plastic. So this book and the idea of it is a really good one and one I do support.
The missions all have an explanation behind why or how something is bad and what you can do in 2 minutes to improve things. There are various 2 minute things/challenges you can do within each mission (chapter) and each has a certain amount of points which if you’ve completed you can add at the end to see how big of a 2minutesuperhero you are. I like this aspect, especially when you discover at the end of the book that anyone scoring more than 0 gets praise for doing their bit (although more praise the better your score is of course). This makes the book not only fun but gives kids a real incentive to do something good for the environment.
However, for all the good the book does, I can’t help but notice something about some of the missions and it doesn’t sit so well with me.
For all the good the missions do in educating and giving kids ideas on how to say no to plastic in their lives (and of course I agree with all the reasons of why and want everyone to do their best to reduce their dependency on plastic) but, a lot of the advice given is for things that just aren’t possible for a lot of children, or rather, possible only if you have a decent income level as a family, and some of the behaviour the book encourages in children would not sit well with me or I think anyone who is a parent:
There are lots of things listed and I won’t detail them all here, but for example, kids are asked to try solid shampoo so they ditch the plastic shampoo bottles (this in theory is a good idea, again one I’d love to try out, but at the current time it’s still pretty hard to find a shop that stocks it everywhere and still more expensive than some of the cheapest bottled ones you can find – and not all parents will agree to the added cost or can afford it).
There are mentions of heading to markets or shops that are plastic-free where you can refill bottles of washing up liquid, flour, etc. which unfortunately I have never come across in the areas where I live, and only had a more expensive experience of them in central London.
There’s also mention of making things like paper table cloths or alternatives to cling film wrap which might be fun to make (and I’d love to try making the the wax wrap for myself!) but these also require families to purchase additional ingredients like the wax which not all families will be inclined to bother doing if you can’t buy them locally. And there’s suggestions of heading to a hobby store to a collect a roll paper to use as a paper table cloth which is definitely not that cheap for one use at a party – especially as there are paper alternatives available that are more widely available, easier to source and are far cheaper!
The illustrations in the book are very fun. Each mission has a background colour to it and there are fun images on every page. I do like the way that objects have been given faces and the way that the things that can be flushed down the toilet even have faces! Yes there’s a section on the toilet and how to make it a more plastic-free environment which can only be a good thing thinking about the horror stories of what people end up flushing down there! The illustrations just make the whole book feel more fun and I really felt like constantly reading through this book with the overall fun feel it has to each page.
As I said before, there are so many good points in the book and I really do like the message of saying no to plastic. But I do worry about how simple the author thinks things will be for kids to change as, despite their good intentions and understanding, many parents will not be able to accommodate the changes their kids might want. Re-using old plastic pots in gardening is an excellent idea as are a lot of others, but this book also tells kids to pester their parents, to be a real nuisance to them in the supermarket so parents buy plastic-free foods. While I still understand the sentiment behind trying to get your parents to go plastic-free, this behaviour of pestering is encouraged, rather than the more snesible approch of simply talking to parents. Having grown up and lived on the poverty line for a lot of my childhood I can say that the cheapest food available didn’t always come plastic-free and sometimes it was necessary to buy the pastic covered items instead of the plastic-free ones, desite not wanting to harm the planet. The alternatives that had no packaging were far more expensive and often out of my family’s price range.
While the book does a good job of encouraging to go plastic free, I do think it could also do more to encourage kids to re-use plastic things and show them how to re-use the plastic for making new toys and things rather than just talking about what to do when buying toys. Instead the book can make kids feel bad about wanting a toy that’s wrapped in plastic (especially as they might really want the toy and play with it a long time). I also dislike the fact the author specifically criticisese a certain chocolate egg brand for it’s plastic use and tells kids to simply avoid eating them altogether, offering no alternatives on how to use the plastic container instead. You only have to look online these days to see the hundreds of uses that people have for these including keeping condiments for travel, and even making minion toys out of them! (I even made xmas tree decorations out of them as a child hiding little sweets inside!). My point is that there are so many ideas of how to re-use or upcycle the pastic that already exists which could have been included rather than simply telling kids to not buy what could be their favourite chocolate.
I don’t want to make this a too critical review, this book really does have such a good environmental message which I support and the illustrations really do add to this making it feel brilliant. I love the fact this book actualy makes you feel you can make a real difference, even encouranging kids to contact important people (like their MP) to do something! I think in the longer term the advice offered can and will be adopted by more and more people, but at this point in time, when so many people struggle finiancially and there is still a lot of plastic being used out there, perhaps the message shouldn’t just be about being plastic-free, but also how to really re-use it so we don’t throw away anymore of what already exists and instead find a good use for it too. I really think this book could have included more examples of what to to if you couldn’t go completely plastic-free, giving those kids whose parents can’t do everything a chance to feel they are doing something great too!
-Thanks to Walker Books for a free copy for review.
March 20, 2020
Qué maravilla de libro. Su misión es instruir: instruir a los más jóvenes para que desde pequeños creen consciencia sobre su impacto en el medio ambiente, para que aprendan a reducir el plástico que consumen, para que eliminen el de un solo uso y reciclen, para que se acostumbren a dar un segundo uso y a no ser consumistas. Un buen libro con un buen mensaje y una buena presentación, así es Superhéroes contra el plástico.
January 19, 2022
Хороша книжечка, але для британських реалій.
February 9, 2020
This book is interesting for adults and children alike, I have certainly learned quite a few things from reading it that were an eye-opener. it’s packed full of facts and figures and ideas on how to reduce plastic. Each page has a two minute mission, for example, have a pen amnesty, and goes on to tell you to collect up all your old pens and you then get an address to send them to so they can be recycled. It’s a very well-meaning book and one that I would say is guaranteed to help reduce plastic because there are so many good tips and information within the book, but it’s a bit hit and miss because there are some things that I can’t imagine most children or adults would, or could do, for example, the section of plastic in your wardrobe, it’s very interesting explaining how plastic is used in our clothing, but when it suggests buying clothing only made from hemp, wool, silk, cotton and bamboo, that’s a bit of a stretch. The ideas are great, but it’s a shame that the reality is somewhat different. Buying plastic free fruit and veg, buying from local shops, going to farmers markets, great ideas, but harder if you’ve only got access to one big supermarket in your area that doesn’t seem to want to wrap their fruit and veg in anything but unrecyclable plastic. We, as consumers can do as much as we can, but our efforts are made harder by the main supermarket chains. It’s all very well for the supermarkets to start charging for plastic bags, and reducing their use of them, but I think they should be looking at their packaging. The majority of the plastic I have is what the food is wrapped in. Plastic bags are recyclable, but the plastic tomatoes come in, and the plastic washing detergent comes in are not recyclable, so I think that should be the main focus instead of concentrating all that effort in getting rid of plastic bags.
As you can tell, this book has stirred up a lot of emotion, and rightly so, so with that said, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who feels passionate about the planet we live on.
As you can tell, this book has stirred up a lot of emotion, and rightly so, so with that said, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who feels passionate about the planet we live on.
July 15, 2020
Save ourselves! The writing and illustrations are childlike (or ESL), the message is for every single one of us. Hopefully the young folk will not only establish good habits but also teach any adults they encounter to think and behave responsibly with regard to plastic pollution. The enlightening exercises are indeed very short but also effective--no big hard-to-attain goals or really tough stuff like dealing with all the plasticware being generated by quarantine, just simple everyday activities in recycling and repurposing. My middle school granddaughter looked it over and wanted to purloin it to share with her fellow Girl Scouts even before I wrote the review, and she wasn't bothered that it was all black and white since it was an Advance Reading Copy that I won in a LibraryThing Giveaway!
December 17, 2020
I love that this book! It gives information on how plastic can be both bad and good! It also has tasks called "missions" to help fight against plastic. There are also suggestions for ways to avoid using plastic when celebrating various holidays and partys!
It had great suggestions that can be utilized by all ages not just kids! We can all help fight against the use of plastic and be a #2minutesuperhero.
It had great suggestions that can be utilized by all ages not just kids! We can all help fight against the use of plastic and be a #2minutesuperhero.
July 6, 2020
I received an electronic ARC from Candlewick Press through NetGalley.
Dorey divides his book into missions for readers to learn about plastics and to challenge themselves and others to do more to recycle and stop using them.
Readers can keep track of their points as they read through the material and see how well they do at the end of the book. The challenges are also recapped after the final mission.
The concepts are terrific and even adults can learn from reading this one but the reality of implementation is a bit more difficult for some families.
The ideas and information are presented in an easy to follow format. Diagrams and pictures show readers further info about plastics in our lives. The Superhero cards throughout offer real examples about the actual cost of plastics.
Terrific book to open dialogue in families and classes. The introduction to the two minute challenges gives readers an easy time frame to make changes in their lives.
Dorey divides his book into missions for readers to learn about plastics and to challenge themselves and others to do more to recycle and stop using them.
Readers can keep track of their points as they read through the material and see how well they do at the end of the book. The challenges are also recapped after the final mission.
The concepts are terrific and even adults can learn from reading this one but the reality of implementation is a bit more difficult for some families.
The ideas and information are presented in an easy to follow format. Diagrams and pictures show readers further info about plastics in our lives. The Superhero cards throughout offer real examples about the actual cost of plastics.
Terrific book to open dialogue in families and classes. The introduction to the two minute challenges gives readers an easy time frame to make changes in their lives.
July 30, 2020
I love the message of going plastic-free, but for many kids it’s not feasible for a to choose non-plastic alternatives. The book is organized into 2-minute missions to identify plastic use in daily life, from mini bags of chips to balloons, and explains how they impact the environment. By the end of the book, the reader will recognize how everyday conveniences add to non-recyclable waste.
+ Good use of kid language and organization
- Would love ideas on how to reuse rather than just avoid plastic
+ Good use of kid language and organization
- Would love ideas on how to reuse rather than just avoid plastic
May 24, 2020
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. It looked like it would be fun and useful, and it is, but it's really better than I hoped for. It explains how big and terrible is the problem of plastics, particularly in the oceans, and what it does -- killing a wide variety of wildlife and contributing to the problems of climate change. It identifies many ways young people can be superheroes in the fight against plastic pollution. There are 16 major missions in the book, but each has some smaller things kids can do. The first chapter, Get to Know the Bad Stuff, will help kids learn about the different kinds of plastics and what can be recycled and what can't. Each mission has a score that can be earned and encourages kids to earn those points. The book identifies real heroes -- people who have done important work and creatures that have survived life-threatening encounters with plastics. All of this is written in very accessible, lively language young people will enjoy reading and will be engaged by. Every page has fun and interesting graphics and super-fun illustrations to keep those pages turning and those eyes busy on the pages. I recommend this book wholeheartedly. If fighting plastic pollution can be made fun and interesting, I am all for it, and that is what this book does.
July 10, 2020
According to this book, the #2minutebeachclean was a challenge started by author Martin Dorey after going to his local beach and experiencing first-hand the horrible amount of plastic littering the beach. The hashtag quickly caught on and has evolved into a worldwide call to action as citizens work together to fight plastic.
Along the same lines as this #2minutebeachclean Kids Fight Plastic is a short plea to both parents and kids to clean up their home’s use of plastic, while becoming more aware of the dangers and harm that often come from single use plastics.
There is much to be learned from this book. From the types of plastic, to what is considered good or bad plastic and how each impacts our planet. The author has set this book up to include 16 kid and family friendly missions to make each of us a superhero. The missions range from raiding your lunch of single use plastics to being more conscious about your clothes in your closet to party decorations and what goes down your toilet. The author is clearly passionate and builds on his original #2minutechallenge to engage more families in his fight.
How can we be better? How can we save the ocean? The what can start in our own homes in these simple, easy to follow missions to leave the world a better place.
*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Along the same lines as this #2minutebeachclean Kids Fight Plastic is a short plea to both parents and kids to clean up their home’s use of plastic, while becoming more aware of the dangers and harm that often come from single use plastics.
There is much to be learned from this book. From the types of plastic, to what is considered good or bad plastic and how each impacts our planet. The author has set this book up to include 16 kid and family friendly missions to make each of us a superhero. The missions range from raiding your lunch of single use plastics to being more conscious about your clothes in your closet to party decorations and what goes down your toilet. The author is clearly passionate and builds on his original #2minutechallenge to engage more families in his fight.
How can we be better? How can we save the ocean? The what can start in our own homes in these simple, easy to follow missions to leave the world a better place.
*Disclaimer: A review copy was provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
July 13, 2020
I received a free advanced copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
“Kids Fight Plastic” is a great nonfiction book with fun, graphic illustrations that gives upper elementary aged students step by step, practical ways on how to fight plastic waste. The book is written by Martin Dorey who is anti-plastic activist and founder of the #2minutebeachclean movement. He breaks down the chapters into different places in a kid’s life where they can find and fight plastic waste including the lunchroom, sports fields, the bathroom, the kitchen, birthday parties, etc. Each chapter gives examples of the types of plastic you would find in each situation and ways you can recycle or limit your plastic use (including reasons behind why balloons are bad for the environment).
As a librarian I know many students that chose to do research on plastic use in our society and/or want to know ways they can help reduce plastic use. This book gives them simple “missions” they can quickly put into place to have an immediate impact on reducing plastic waste. There’s also some great facts that could be used for research projects, including a chart that even helped me as a consumer showing what the different plastic symbols on items mean and if they are recyclable or not. Great, easily accessible guide for students!
“Kids Fight Plastic” is a great nonfiction book with fun, graphic illustrations that gives upper elementary aged students step by step, practical ways on how to fight plastic waste. The book is written by Martin Dorey who is anti-plastic activist and founder of the #2minutebeachclean movement. He breaks down the chapters into different places in a kid’s life where they can find and fight plastic waste including the lunchroom, sports fields, the bathroom, the kitchen, birthday parties, etc. Each chapter gives examples of the types of plastic you would find in each situation and ways you can recycle or limit your plastic use (including reasons behind why balloons are bad for the environment).
As a librarian I know many students that chose to do research on plastic use in our society and/or want to know ways they can help reduce plastic use. This book gives them simple “missions” they can quickly put into place to have an immediate impact on reducing plastic waste. There’s also some great facts that could be used for research projects, including a chart that even helped me as a consumer showing what the different plastic symbols on items mean and if they are recyclable or not. Great, easily accessible guide for students!
September 16, 2020
Absolute fun while providing absolute info, this digitally illustrated guide to fighting single-use plastic gives kids a book full of missions to fight plastic: from our homes to our schools, to the supermarket and beyond, kids get the skinny on plastics while racking up points, whether it's through identifying five "good" and five "bad" pieces of plastic, bringing a reusable water bottle everywhere you go, and making homemade snacks to cut down on the use of plastic-wrapped stuff, there's something for everyone here. Martin Dorey is the founder of the #2minutebeachclean movement, and shows kids that 2 minutes can make a huge difference. Missions are all worth different points, which they can tally up at the end and calculate their "Superhero Rating". Profiles of different rescued sea life and activists appear throughout on "Everyday Superhero" graphics that look like collectible cards - they can even envision their own Everyday Superhero card! - and missions are all available at the end of the book, in one convenient spot, so folks don't have to go throughout the book to locate each mission. More resources are available for readers who want to learn more, including more information about the #2minutebeachclean initiative.
January 7, 2021
Every kid can be a superhero by fighting plastic waste at home, at school, and in their community! This engaging guide is chock-full of facts, vibrant art, graphics, and #2minutesuperhero missions–practical ways to take action now. Readers will learn not only how to combat plastic waste head-on, but how to advocate for a cleaner world, beginning at home. Anti-plastic campaigner, Martin Dorey, brings both extensive experience and boundless enthusiasm to this essential book for young people who want to create a better world.
Out September 2020
128 Pages
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
There is so much in this tiny book. The cover is self-explanatory showing kids trying to make a difference. The book blurb explains the general premise. Inside my copy, which had black and white illustrations, you get many different suggestions to help make this world cleaner and healthier starting with your own home. This is a fantastic resource for discussing/teaching about pollution, recycling and re-purposing. I believe this book would make a great school and home resource for students and families. It is perfectly illustrated to make learning easier and teaching efficient.
I am keeping this book as a resource for my special needs clients.
Out September 2020
128 Pages
MY THOUGHTS:
I received this book in exchange for my honest review.
There is so much in this tiny book. The cover is self-explanatory showing kids trying to make a difference. The book blurb explains the general premise. Inside my copy, which had black and white illustrations, you get many different suggestions to help make this world cleaner and healthier starting with your own home. This is a fantastic resource for discussing/teaching about pollution, recycling and re-purposing. I believe this book would make a great school and home resource for students and families. It is perfectly illustrated to make learning easier and teaching efficient.
I am keeping this book as a resource for my special needs clients.
October 5, 2020
I thought that this was a great book.
It was easy to read and follow and the emphasis whilst there to show how bad plastic can be for the environment, it was not rammed down the through of the youngster reading it.
My daughter is 3 and she already helps to do the recycling, we buy containers we can used and when we go out we have our own reusable water bottles so she is making a great start from a young age and this will be a book I would be happy for her to read when she is a little older to see how else she can help.
It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended – well laid out and easy to follow and I liked the tips to get the points through the different tasks and challenges as the book progressed.
It was easy to read and follow and the emphasis whilst there to show how bad plastic can be for the environment, it was not rammed down the through of the youngster reading it.
My daughter is 3 and she already helps to do the recycling, we buy containers we can used and when we go out we have our own reusable water bottles so she is making a great start from a young age and this will be a book I would be happy for her to read when she is a little older to see how else she can help.
It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended – well laid out and easy to follow and I liked the tips to get the points through the different tasks and challenges as the book progressed.
June 22, 2020
This book contains 16 missions that are easy for kids, and adults, to follow and do!
I really like the idea of the #2minutebeachclean ! We could remove an estimated 4 pounds of waste in that short time! I love it! And I think my 12 year old daughter is on board to do it as well! In fact, she really likes this book, and said she wants to use it for her Climate Club at school next year!
The book might be little, but the changes it proposes are huge! Every kid, and adult, should have a copy!
I really like the idea of the #2minutebeachclean ! We could remove an estimated 4 pounds of waste in that short time! I love it! And I think my 12 year old daughter is on board to do it as well! In fact, she really likes this book, and said she wants to use it for her Climate Club at school next year!
The book might be little, but the changes it proposes are huge! Every kid, and adult, should have a copy!
August 9, 2020
There's a lot of very sound practical advice in here and I like the sense of control and can-do attitude the book fosters but some of the "missions" require a level of economic privilege that not every kid has. Overall, an informative and easy-to-understand read.
I received an ARC of this book from Candlewick Press free for review.
I received an ARC of this book from Candlewick Press free for review.
July 28, 2024
Kids book separated into short chapters called missions each focusing on a different aspect of everyday life and ways to reduce, recycle and reuse.
Loads of interesting facts for kids about what’s all the different things that are made of plastic and why single use plastics are such a big problem.
Loads of interesting facts for kids about what’s all the different things that are made of plastic and why single use plastics are such a big problem.
January 19, 2025
Lots of tips for reducing plastic waste presented in a fun, gamified format; unfortunately, a lot of these ideas are out of kids' or families' control. Also too many mentions of plastic straws to take seriously.
Thank you to Candlewick Press and LibraryThing for the advanced copy of this book!*
*This did not affect my review or rating.
Thank you to Candlewick Press and LibraryThing for the advanced copy of this book!*
*This did not affect my review or rating.
Read
June 4, 2020This little book was informative and kid friendly. Tons of info is packed into these pages.
July 15, 2020
A great book filled with some much information even for adults!
February 23, 2022
What a great book that emphasizes making a difference in small tangible actions. Easy on the eye and engaging. Grades 3 and up
November 20, 2023
Nonfiction information and challenges to reduce single use plastics.
April 6, 2024
book 8/19 of 19 books in 19 days
March 23, 2025
Easy and inspiring ways to fight plastic pollution! Great for students.
September 29, 2025
Cute little kids book in Spanish, it helps me learn my Spanish better. And while it is a kids book, I found it fun to read.
February 1, 2020
Fight plastic each day for just 2 minutes!
It is a big and hot topic in the world. Plastic. How bad it is. How much it is around us. How we can get rid of it. Well, not easily, but that is why I was curious about the book. What tips would we get? Would it be preachy (as I have read books like this that were just too preachy and had me rolling my eyes)?
Everyone can be a two minute hero! Pick up trash, take your own reusable bottle with you, if you buy candy make sure it isn't wrapped in plastic, for your lunch take unwrapped veggies with you, and more. There was plenty to do and as the book went on it took it a step higher and higher. Until there was a point I was just not too interested any more. Oh you have a birthday, just make something homemade! Don't use tape. Sorry, that is all great if you are kid, but that is just not how it works for me. I like buying books and fun new things for my husband for his hobbies and things that have to do with his hobbies. He isn't of the ohhh a sweater or ohhh a scarf type, he finds them itchy and annoying. I already bake him a cake for his birthday and also on most other days. :P
Also sorry, but I like my tree filled with shiny stuff. Sue me.
But the earlier stuff was great! I am really happy with that, and also learning more about plastic and what it does (most of it I already knew though). I am also curious about the washing ball/other thing, though it will be hard as I cut the labels out from my clothes to know what is what again and if it is the big bad polyester or not. I definitely will look that up.
I do love the missions and what points you can get for them. That is definitely a way to get kids interested in it. I know it would work for me if I was that age. I like that at the end we get your superhero rating based on the points you earned! Fun.
The illustrations were also fun and engaging and I love their style.
HOWEVER, you can see it is really pointed towards the UK. For instance I never heard of farmer's markets until I read about it in books. We do have markets here, but I believe they get their stuff from the same place the supermarkets do. I have checked online for stores without packaging/zero waste, and well there are a few (5) in the neighbouring city, but according to the icons... it is not much and mostly has nuts (which I am deadly allergic for so I am staying far away). Taking a reusable cup to the cinemas is fun, but most here have bottles of drinks, not that you can grab anything of your own, and I am not even sure if that is allowed since they measure the price by the size of the cup. And there are more that had me scratching my head. I understand that you want plastic-free, but it really isn't as easy as what the book makes it out to be. I could probably talk more about it, but I am stopping here. It is a nice idea though, and I am happy they are promoting it and trying to do things, but yeah, don't make it sound easy.
Also, anyway my husband and I are destroying the planet apparently given how BAD kindersurprise eggs are. Well, they are yummy, I am not stopping any time soon. Sorry. I want to give up things, but not that.
All in all, this was a fun and quick read. A bit preachy and assuming it is all easy. But I learned some new things, I will probably add some new stuff to what I am already doing (like that washing ball/net thingie). I would recommend it.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
It is a big and hot topic in the world. Plastic. How bad it is. How much it is around us. How we can get rid of it. Well, not easily, but that is why I was curious about the book. What tips would we get? Would it be preachy (as I have read books like this that were just too preachy and had me rolling my eyes)?
Everyone can be a two minute hero! Pick up trash, take your own reusable bottle with you, if you buy candy make sure it isn't wrapped in plastic, for your lunch take unwrapped veggies with you, and more. There was plenty to do and as the book went on it took it a step higher and higher. Until there was a point I was just not too interested any more. Oh you have a birthday, just make something homemade! Don't use tape. Sorry, that is all great if you are kid, but that is just not how it works for me. I like buying books and fun new things for my husband for his hobbies and things that have to do with his hobbies. He isn't of the ohhh a sweater or ohhh a scarf type, he finds them itchy and annoying. I already bake him a cake for his birthday and also on most other days. :P
Also sorry, but I like my tree filled with shiny stuff. Sue me.
But the earlier stuff was great! I am really happy with that, and also learning more about plastic and what it does (most of it I already knew though). I am also curious about the washing ball/other thing, though it will be hard as I cut the labels out from my clothes to know what is what again and if it is the big bad polyester or not. I definitely will look that up.
I do love the missions and what points you can get for them. That is definitely a way to get kids interested in it. I know it would work for me if I was that age. I like that at the end we get your superhero rating based on the points you earned! Fun.
The illustrations were also fun and engaging and I love their style.
HOWEVER, you can see it is really pointed towards the UK. For instance I never heard of farmer's markets until I read about it in books. We do have markets here, but I believe they get their stuff from the same place the supermarkets do. I have checked online for stores without packaging/zero waste, and well there are a few (5) in the neighbouring city, but according to the icons... it is not much and mostly has nuts (which I am deadly allergic for so I am staying far away). Taking a reusable cup to the cinemas is fun, but most here have bottles of drinks, not that you can grab anything of your own, and I am not even sure if that is allowed since they measure the price by the size of the cup. And there are more that had me scratching my head. I understand that you want plastic-free, but it really isn't as easy as what the book makes it out to be. I could probably talk more about it, but I am stopping here. It is a nice idea though, and I am happy they are promoting it and trying to do things, but yeah, don't make it sound easy.
Also, anyway my husband and I are destroying the planet apparently given how BAD kindersurprise eggs are. Well, they are yummy, I am not stopping any time soon. Sorry. I want to give up things, but not that.
All in all, this was a fun and quick read. A bit preachy and assuming it is all easy. But I learned some new things, I will probably add some new stuff to what I am already doing (like that washing ball/net thingie). I would recommend it.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Want to read
June 8, 2020Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
August 20, 2019
This guide for children is written by Martin Dorey, an anti-plastic campaigner and is essential reading for bringing the fight to save the planet from this plastic invasion home. Knowing how overwhelming the situation can be, especially if you're a kid who's surrounded by plastic everything everywhere you go, Martin has created this book full of facts, figures and 2 minute missions to get us well on our way. 50 missions to help save the oceans await you in this book. At home, in school or when you're out and about, it's important to be aware of the plastic around you.
t's a book that's easy to read, with interesting facts, so of which you may not have even considered. (How much plastic do you think goes down your loo?) Every page has lively, quirky illustrations that bring home the issue, facts, figures, history and...most important a 2 minute mission that will help you become a #2minutesuperhero.
A fabulous and exciting resource; tons of information presented in an accessible and fun way.
t's a book that's easy to read, with interesting facts, so of which you may not have even considered. (How much plastic do you think goes down your loo?) Every page has lively, quirky illustrations that bring home the issue, facts, figures, history and...most important a 2 minute mission that will help you become a #2minutesuperhero.
A fabulous and exciting resource; tons of information presented in an accessible and fun way.
maybe
June 18, 2019Description: Have you got 2 minutes? That's all the time it takes to become a #2minutesuperhero. Plastic is everywhere. It is in the rivers and it is in the sea. We need superheroes to fight plastic and help save our oceans.
Read this essential book and find out how you can become a #2minutesuperhero by completing 50 missions to fight plastic at home, school and on your days out.
Informative, practical and positive, this guide for children is written by Martin Dorey, anti-plastic campaigner and author of the bestselling No. More. Plastic. Martin is the founder of the Beach Clean Network and the #2minutebeachclean movement and believes that small actions add up to make a big difference.
Read this essential book and find out how you can become a #2minutesuperhero by completing 50 missions to fight plastic at home, school and on your days out.
Informative, practical and positive, this guide for children is written by Martin Dorey, anti-plastic campaigner and author of the bestselling No. More. Plastic. Martin is the founder of the Beach Clean Network and the #2minutebeachclean movement and believes that small actions add up to make a big difference.
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