Written by: Erica Fyvie

Illustrated by: Bill Slavin

For ages: 8-12 years

Language: English

Topics Covered: Environmental Activism, Community, Personal Responsibility, Activism,  Waste Cycle.

Summary: This book addresses the fact that everything in our lives has a life cycle, including the objects we use everyday!  Trash Revolution explores things we don’t think about everyday, like if bicycle helmets can be made of recyclable materials, or how long a t-shirt is in a landfill before breaking down.

This book is important because it asks critical questions for young children to develop not only their questioning skills, but also critical thinking.  We are often bombarded with the “right” choices about any number of environmental topics.  This book clearly explains how we use so many natural resources but still have the power to make informed and empowered choices.  An important book to assist in children developing their autonomy and having a positive impact on the world around them!

About the Author & the Illustrator:

Erica Fyvie was raised by her parents, yes, but also by the books of Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary and Norma Klein. She attended the University of Guelph, earning a bachelor’s degree in English and drama. She received her master’s degree from York University in film.

From there, she was a script editor for a production company that specialized in children’s films, and an editor in educational publishing.

Erica lives in Toronto with her family, including a beloved cat named Marzipan.

Bill Slavin has been drawing since he can remember, and have wanted to illustrate books for just about as long. His first commercial success was an anti-smoking in bed poster Bill did in grade three, which won first prize and paid him $25. Grade three was an important year, because it was also when Bill produced his first illustrated book, called Zok the Caveman. This was such a success that Bill promptly followed it up with a sequel, The Adventures of Black Cloud, Son of Zok. He continued to write and illustrate books throughout public school as well as draw profusely. Bill graduated to pen and ink at a fairly early age, a medium which is still my favourite (fortunately, his mother was a tolerant person and did not object too much to the many bottles of ink which he spilt on the living room carpet). In high school he became interested in comic book art, and wrote and illustrated countless numbers of these, as well as producing a short-lived comic strip called Rat Fink for our local village weekly.