Trash!: On Ragpicker Children and Recycling

by Gita Wolf, Gita Wolf, Anushka Ravishankar

Trash! is a unique combination of fiction and fact. Based on the real-life experiences of street children in Chennai, it tells the story of Velu, a runaway village child. He ends up as a ragpicker in a big city and must face the harsh realities of life on the streets. The story is accompanied by facts and arguments that connect complex issues—ranging from child labor and child rights, to lifestyles, waste and recycling.

“A true gem in the Indian publishing landscape . . .”—The White Ravens Catalogue of the World’s Best Children’s Books

Genres: India, Childrens

112 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[E.D. Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up in Auroville after 3 weeks working with street kids similar to Velu and Jaya, and I'm glad I did. This book is a very accurate portrayal of their lives, and I loved the messages I found in it: the importance of ragpickers' effect on their environment, the need to not be so wasteful, and of course why we should treat these people with dignity.

I highly recommend this book.

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Gita Wolf and most of the publications she produces at Tara Books. This may not have all the spectacular artwork of many of the other books she publishes, but this story is a terrific book for children. It does a wonderful job educating youth about waste issues through the story of Velu and Jaya as well as the related subject of child labour. But the story also is filled with interesting side-bar factoids and activities that teachers and/or parents can do with their children to reinforce the ideas in the story. It's a terrific read--and the Rajnikanth illustrations are quite fabulous.

[Yashovati · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very good book for all the children who read this!!!!😀😀😀😀

[InsanePulao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because of its simple and lucid language, and illustrated pages the book is really famous among youngsters in India. Well, the book does not only focus on telling the story. Trash! is a book, unique in its style, that focuses on the major problem of child labour in India (and of course, other parts of the globe).
It tells the story of a boy who runs away from his home and was compelled by the situation to live with the ragpickers. As the story moves on, it gives light to the lives of the ragpickers, who are generally the children of poor households who cannot afford a comfortable life. It describes the lives of them as important, not because they are removing the wastes and rubbish littered here and there but because they ask the society to be more human and responsible.
The book is actually short, especially for me. Also, the story ends with a slight piece of a cliffhanger. Again, the book is illustrated and children reading the book are asked to the several activities and discuss among themselves.
According to me, Trash! is a great read for the youngsters as well as the adults. This story will really make you think!

[Jai · Rating 3 out of 5]

#BooksIRead - A sneak peek into the lives of children working as #Ragpickers. #LightRead

[Gouri Sankar · Rating 5 out of 5]

nice

[Devananda P · Rating 5 out of 5]

How open book?

[Kusha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice

[Kmvje · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good one

[Jiya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[Maurya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice

[Rishika]

I WANTED TO READ IT BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK . I WANT TO READ IT !

[Abhishek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific read !! A good storyline and many educative notes in between. I learned a lot about ragpicking and recycling. A must read for everyone!

[Deepak Sivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

superb book everyone should think of it