Families who loved Total Garbage: A Messy Dive into Trash, Waste, and Our World by Rebecca Donnelly often look for books with a similar feel. These 20 recommendations were selected for their similarity in style, theme, and reading level.
Reach for this book when your child starts noticing the sheer volume of plastic in your recycling bin or expresses anxiety about the state of the planet. While many environmental books feel heavy or accusatory, Donnelly uses humor and history to turn waste management into a fascinating puzzle. It covers the evolution of trash from ancient times to modern landfills, focusing on how human ingenuity and social justice intersect with our environment. It is an ideal pick for ages 8 to 12 because it empowers them with facts and a sense of agency rather than leaving them feeling overwhelmed by global crises. You might choose it to foster a healthy, proactive sense of curiosity about sustainability and the hidden systems that keep our world running.
