Books and reading

Absurd and whimsical story kids will love: ‘The Tindims of Rubbish Island’ by Sally Gardner & Lydia Corry

I love the fact that the creators of this book series for early readers (5 – 8 years) are a mother and daughter team: Sally Gardner and Lydia Corry. How perfect to have a writer and an illustrator in one family package, ready to delight young readers.

The Tindims are tiny folk who have lived on Rubbish Island for centuries, retrieving items discarded by the ‘Long Legs’ (humans) and making useful, wearable or fun stuff from them. Lately, though, there is far more plastic in the sea than even the Tindims know what to do with.

The main character Skittle and her furry pet Pinch, enjoy life to the full and laugh a lot, just like human children do. In their world, everything they find in the sea is a possible treasure. This first book in the Tindims series introduces readers to the characters and colour of the tiny island on which the Tindims live, and how they use the rubbish they find.

Skittle and her friends and family are looking forward to Brightsea Festival, a yearly event filled with fun, when the progress of their island gets blocked by Bottle Mountain and they can’t see which direction they need to go. Adventures and absurdities follow, until all is well by the end of the book.

Children will have fun with Lydia Correy’s jaunty black and white illustrations, identifying all the items of rubbish which the Tindims use: as hats, a cable car, houses, a fish hospital, furniture, to name just a few.
The narrative has a slightly ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ feel to it as it explores the simple things in life that can bring us joy.

The Tindims of Rubbish Island is a sweet and engaging way to introduce very young readers to the idea of conservation and recycling, while having a lot of fun in the process.

The Tindims of Rubbish Island is published by Head of Zeus, an imprint of HarperCollins Children’s Books, today (2nd September 2020.)

My thanks to the publishers for a copy to read and review.

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