Marina: A Story About Plastic and the Planet

Byrd’s enthusiastic descriptions of a child eating lunch take a serious turn when the sandwich’s plastic wrapper drifts out to sea. Marina, who’s portrayed with tan skin in Meissner’s animation-style art, responsibly disposes of her trash, but when the wrapper flies free from a garbage truck and lands in the sea, it disturbs various ocean creatures enacting human-like activities. “It scared a turtle taking her/ nap, and once she was woke,/ she couldn’t go back,” and bothers others including a singing, bow-tie-clad clownfish and racing penguins. Throughout, the wrapper, which bears the label “Marina,” provides a searchable visual amid spongy underwater scenes. When Marina makes the unlikely discovery that the wrapper has washed ashore nearby, the teachable moment resounds with a declaration from Mom (“Plastic doesn’t ever really go away”) and family attempts at change. Back matter includes pollution statistics and light suggestions for ways kids can help. Ages 5–8. (Mar.)