The Dumpster Diver
by Janet S. Wong; illustrated by David Roberts
Think Oscar the Grouch meets Thomas Edison, and you've got Steve the Electrician, the unofficial king of creative recycling.
He's a hero to three city kids who hose him off after his expeditions into dumpsters in the alley beneath their windows, when he emerges with armloads of other people's junk. The kids share his enthusiasm for building hybrid contraptions and mash-up doodads from their urban "treasure."
Narrated by one of the kids, a boy who nicknames himself "the Nozzler," the story takes several frankly realistic turns while remaining fresh and inventive. Frank's a whiz, but he's also a bit of a nut job, and he runs afoul of a cranky neighbor, and then the garbage turns on him, quite literally. It's not pretty.
Wong follows the story where it logically must go, without shying from controversy or pain, which forces the kids to weigh risks and rewards. Imagine that--kids making their own choices, acknowledging mistakes, and growing from it. Yet the character arcs are so organic to the plot, we're never hit with an overt "message," a refreshing change from so many ham-fisted, moralizing books for kids.
Roberts was a happy choice for illustrator, with his self-described love for retro and vintage anything, not to mention his fondness for the beloved Sesame Street pack rat who inspired the kinder, gentler Steve.
Roberts' watercolor and ink illustrations have a messy, collage-like feel, and the type is printed on bits of scrap paper, cloth, torn doilies, even a band-aid for that grubby touch. Extra mega-bonus points for a multi-culti cast that fits the urban setting. And he too doesn't shy from gross details--check out all those cockroaches. Shudder.
Rating: *\*\*\*\
Other Earth Day suggestions:
Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion (Scientists in the Field)
Anne,
Great review selection for Earth Day! I really liked this book, too. I think the artwork was a perfect match for Wong's text.
Posted by: Elaine Magliaro | April 23, 2007 at 06:40 AM
It's a fun one, definitely.
Posted by: Anne | April 23, 2007 at 02:56 PM