Publisher's Weekly Review
Drummond expands his Green Power series with this inspiring account of the citizens of Kamikatsu, Japan, and their zero-waste goal. Two children's visit to see their proverb-loving grandmother provides framing for the narrative. During the visit, the trio sort trash into varied bins--nine for different paper types, six for varied plastic materials, five for metal, six for glass--providing insight into Kamikatsu's real-life pledge to reduce, reuse, or recycle all waste. Lengthy sidebars offer context and definitions, while narration and speech bubbles educate and persuade: "Recycling? I'm too old for that!" reads one bubble. "Chiritsumo! A journey begins with the first step," Grandma replies in the main text. Loosely marked art has calligraphy-like movement and flair. Appropriately focused on community members, illustrations showcase the story's emphasis on how working together can help solve even seemingly impossible environmental problems. An author's note, references, and photos append. Ages 4--8. (Mar.)
Horn Book Review
Drummond (Solar Story, rev. 5/20; Pedal Power, rev. 1/17) continues to spotlight communities that adopt environmentally sustainable projects. This time, he takes readers to Kamikatsu, Japan, a small mountain town with big ambitions. The narrative centers on two children visiting their spunky, dedicated, proverb-sharing grandmother, a lifelong resident of Kamikatsu who explains the townâe(tm)s environmental history. Years earlier there had been no waste collection service, so residents dumped and burned their refuse, creating not only eyesores and noxious smells but also poisonous dioxins in the air, soil, and water. In 2003, citizens of Kamikatsu declared that by 2020 they would produce zero waste. Impossible? Almost, but today, through âeoeChiritsumo!âe (as Grandma says, or âeoePerseverance is power!âe), more than eighty percent of the townâe(tm)s waste is recycled. While ÂDrummond depicts some citizens grousing about the Âproclamation, more often his breezy, humorous Âwatercolors show them eagerly Âengaging in âeoeÂMottainai!âe (âeoeWaste not, want not,âe or reduce, reuse, recycle.) Residents not only compost but also painstakingly divide their waste into dozens of different containers. The rewards are great: new, younger inhabitants; a tourist-attracting hotel constructed entirely of recycled materials; and the creation of a Zero Waste Academy where individuals come from all over the world to study the project. Best of all, the book shares the local sense of âeoeKachou fuugetsu!âe (âeoeExperience the beauty of nature. Learn about yourself!âe) This inspiring account concludes with an authorâe(tm)s note and suggestions for further reading. Betty CarterMarch/April 2023 p.94 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
A small town in Japan has become famous for its zero waste plan. This latest in Drummond's Green Power series, which explores successful sustainability projects, highlights a Japanese town committed to careful recycling, reuse of what they have, and reduction of further purchasing. As always, he tells his story in ways that will connect with his audience. Using clear, conversational prose punctuated with cheerful, color-washed pen-and-ink drawings and even some speech bubbles, he describes two children's visit to their grandmother in Kamikatsu. They help her sort her recycling into different bins: nine for paper, six for plastic, five for metals, six for glass, and so on--nearly 50 different kinds of waste in all! Along the way, they learn about the differences among the materials. Grandma introduces and translates several relevant Japanese proverbs. Later, they visit the massive public recycling center, and Grandma recaps the history of the town's zero waste project. As a young mother (clad in flowered bell-bottoms), she, too, unthinkingly threw trash away. But after the town's dump and incinerator were deemed environmentally hazardous and closed, she and others began to work to reduce their waste stream. Their goal was to become a zero waste town by 2020. They recycle more than 80% of their waste and have become a model known around the world. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Charmingly encourages our own environmental efforts. (author's note with photographs, further reading) (Informational picture book. 5-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Two children go to stay with their grandmother in Kamikatsu, a small community in Japan. In addition to teaching them old Japanese sayings, she shares something new: zero-waste recycling. In 2003, the townspeople realized that their air, river, and streams were becoming polluted. They vowed to become "the world's first zero-waste town." In order to improve the local environment and save their community, they needed to find better alternatives to using the dump and incinerators. Willing to work, residents learned to sort their trash into dozens of specific bins at a recycling center. Now people throughout the world visit Kamikatsu's Zero Waste Academy to learn about implementing zero-waste recycling. The fictional story offers children a way to connect with the ideas and facts, which become more prominent as the narrative progresses. Occasional red sidebars with white type offer information to supplement the main text, while Drummond's illustrations set a jaunty tone. The fifth in his Green Power series, this picture book shows the challenges and rewards of living in a zero-waste town.
