Into the Bin (and out again); Anne Fine, illustrated by Vicki Gausden

Anne Fine has written many a great book over the years and this one is a lovely addition to the Barrington Stoke 4U2 read series. Printed in dyslexia friendly font and on cream paper this book can be accessed by every child.

Headteacher, Mrs. Carter, is very unimpressed with the mess that Mr. Frost’s class have made. There’s mess in the cloakroom, in the classroom and obviously in the bin (that has spilled all over the floor). On a mission to clean-up, the children are sending all the things that they do not need off to the charity shop. But when the children bring things from home to add to the charity bin they find that what they might not need is the one thing that someone else has been looking for…

Many children are riding the eco wave and are keen to do whatever they can to save the planet. This cheerful story has lovely messages on reusing, repurposing and recycling rather than throwing out. As the children bring in items from home that they feel are rubbish, their classmates are quick to snap up the ‘treasure’. Reasons for wanting different items are varied and could be starting points for a discussion. The story is accompanied by playful illustrations showing a class of children of different ethnicities

Recommended for 7+.