Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Smash! Smash! Truck
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 8
Random House, 2010 ISBN: 978-0385751438
You may not know it, but recycling is not a new idea. Everything on our planet is made from atoms that have been recycled countless times. The glass you drink your juice out of in the morning may contain atoms that were once part of Albert Einstein’s toes!
The crust of the earth is recycled, as is the water in our lakes, rivers, oceans, and seas. When plants and animals die, their bodies are also recycled and reused. Even we humans recycle ourselves on a daily basis; we slough off skin and hair, and breathe out oxygen all the time.
There are times though when the recycling process stalls. Bottles (and many other things too) that are thrown into a trash can cannot quickly break down and be recycled. Instead they sit in a landfill for thousands of years. However, bottles that are put into a recycling bin have a different story to tell – they go on to be used all over again in some new form.
Using wonderful images, a unique format, and lots of “smash” sounds, Aiden Potts helps young readers to understand how natural recycling is, and how it is taking place all around us. Children will come to appreciate how important recycling is in a ‘big picture’ sort of way. The author uses his character, Professor Potts, to engage his audience throughout his narrative.
