Georgina Stevens's Reading List

"This book captures effortlessly for me how we, as a society, love to put beautiful endangered animals in cages and stare at them – but we don’t spend enough time talking or thinking about what we are doing. We are so ashamed but also too scared to admit our role and so tell ourselves that none of us can do anything. Many different forces collude to keep us thinking that we cannot change things. So this book is a story of hope."

"“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, no it’s not.” This quote says it all for me. The best verse in town, wonderful illustrations and an honest look at what we are doing to our world – with a message that each and every one of us can make the decision to change at any moment."

"This beautifully illustrated book has a poignant, beautiful and clear message about overfishing. I would have loved to have seen the book go even further by recommending what we can do, for example by buying MSC fish or looking for other sustainability criteria when we buy fish – or to signpost some of the bycatch petitions and other things going on in the fishing industry. Yet, even without these extras, I still find it a very thoughtful and thought-provoking book."

"This is such an amazing book that is honest about the scale of the issue and that it’s our fault – but presented in a really fun way. A very tricky thing to do well, but she has done it. Great rhyming verse, and really great illustrations, lots to look at and all done with humour. A brilliant book."

"There is so much to love about this book. Firstly, the dinosaurs being woken up by the heat from humans burning everything and then them tidying up the mess. My son gets really upset when they throw the cars in the volcanoes but it’s the only book I’ve found that neatly points the finger at this big issue for us. Reading it together opens up a conversation between us about how some cars are better than others for the environment. This is a wonderful line: “Please may I have a small part of it back? He asked. Please? Just a hill, or a tree, or a flower? No, said the dinosaur, Not a part of it, but all of it. It is all yours, but it is also all mine. Remember that. The earth belongs to everyone.” I also love the Mr Ben-like animation, but that is showing my age! This is another book that would benefit from signposting children to more information on the topics it raises – that would be the icing on the cake. Of course! These are some of my favourites: https://www.desmog.uk – see what is really happening in the world, behind the PR curtain. http://clearplasticuk.net/plastic-clever-initiative – Kids Against Plastic are two inspiring young sisters who are single-handedly taking on the plastic world and winning. This is very inspiring for youngsters. http://exxpedition.com/ocean-changemakers-toolkit/ – all you need to understand ocean plastic facts and some inspiration about what you can do about it. http://www.ethicalconsumer.org – a great magazine and online resource to find out which companies we should support and buy products from – and those we should give a swerve. http://www.projectdirt.com/about/ – community projects online, lots of environmental ones too to get you back into nature, in your locale. https://www.zerowasteweek.co.uk – full of great ideas for living with less plastic."