Plastic Sea: A Bird’s-Eye View

Gr 2-4–This short narrative about a Northern Fulmar seabird searching for food provides a simple introduction to the history of plastic and plastic pollution. From the opening narrative to the detailed look at how plastic impacts ocean environments and its habitants, the text effectively describes the dangers of plastic pollution and lists ways to prevent further damage to the planet. Blom uses data to explain how long materials take to biodegrade, how the diets of creatures are being affected, and what these products are doing to the environment. Elementary students will be able to understand the abundance of information. Vivid, full-color photographs show examples of the plastics and trash that pollute Earth’s water sources, as well as the wildlife that comes in contact with this pollution and the people who are working to clean it. Some photos are more intense than others and might be disturbing to a very young audience. However, they support the title’s mission of raising awareness of the dangers of pollution to all ecosystems. Suggestions on how to prevent pollution keep the text from seeming too pessimistic, and offer ideas for actions to implement at home and in one’s community.