Glitter Everywhere!: Where it Came From, Where It’s Found & Where It’s Going

Gr 3-5–This nonfiction expedition into the history of glitter aims to, if not necessarily warm librarians up to it, at least help make plain its origins. Barton approaches the twinkling topic from a multitude of angles. He writes about iridescence in the wild. He provides a brief bio of the inventors of “flitter,” its name before “glitter” was coined. And he informs readers about biodegradable and edible versions of an otherwise nearly indestructible plastic material. Pages are full of facts, provided conversationally, but text is clear and thoughtfully laid out amid Prabhat’s colorful, full-bleed illustrations. The facts are anchored by a diverse trio of children exploring the history of glitter, almost as if they’re on a time-traveling journey. Glitter isn’t going anywhere—literally, it’s never coming out of the carpet—so we might as well get to know it.