short and sweet, yet very informative! it’s a good introduction book for this topic written for young adults in mind! i learned a lot and greatly enjoyed a young persons perspective on climate issues and how at the young age are advocating for earth and climate protections and change. not my favorite non fiction but still good nonetheless.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read this pocket change book.

Hannah Testa is passionate about ridding the earth of single use plastic. And for good reason. It's harming everything living on the planet.

In this short read, Testa gives facts and solutions meant for a younger audience, but applicable to every audience. Those as young as middle school can read and understand. But this would also be a great "read-together" book for a younger child and someone older, especially if conversation ensued because of it.

A great book for any school or home library.

I am really enjoying this series of very short books written by young activists for other young people. This one included a lot of thought-provoking statistics and anecdotes about the widespread use of single-use plastics today. I'm glad to have learned from and about Hannah Testa.

The Pocket Change Collective book series is really great for learning about these issues and topics. Taking on the Plastics Crisis was a nice addition to the series and I loved that it was by an actual activist who had so much to share.

Thank you PenguinTeen for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

First off single use plastic is evil.
This book is a collective call out to all humans to make things better. To stop using things that are killing our ecosystems and hurting us.

I love Hannah Testa’s message. As someone who lives in coastal NC I completely agree that we need to keep our beaches clean, our rivers clean and overall our Earth clean.

I do feel like the book could use a better structure, it was lacking a flow that would have made it easier to read through. However overall her message came through loud and clear.

* Thank you to Penguin Teen for the advanced copy from Netgalley*

This was another really amazing edition on the Pocket Change Collection. I think it’s really important that we look out for our planet, so this book was perfect. These books help inspire teens to do more in the world. It’s a very good book for young activists who want to make a change. In this book Hannah Testa talks about her upbringing and how it led her on this mission to put an end to the plastic industry that is ruining our planet. The really important take away from this book, and that I learned there’s more than 3 R’s, is the 5 R’s in helping us become better at waste and being more mindful. They are Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse, and Raise Awareness.

Thank you Penguin Teen and NetGalley for the eARC. A quick, engaging, and informative read for young audiences interested in environmental activism (as we all should be). The book, packed with facts about the plastics crisis as well as easy tips for making sustainable choices and lifestyle changes, also highlights the story and activism of Hannah Testa, a young, POC environmental activist who is unafraid of challenging the status quo and advocating for change in her community and on a national and even global scale. This is definitely a book to help inspire young readers into further research and activism rather than an academic or scientific text, but keeping the audience in mind it is a great addition to Penguin Teen’s Pocket Change Collective.

Another great essay from the Pocket Change Collective.

Hannah Testa has been an activist since she was a child, and she uses this platform to inspire other teens to action. She explains the way that plastic use has ballooned over the years, acknowledging its benefits (space travel!) while staying focused on the major problem of single-use plastics like straws, utensils, cups, and the ubiquitous plastic grocery bags. She expands on the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle) to include "refuse" and "raise awareness" in a way that's clear easy to remember. She also uplifts many other young activists and their projects, emphasizing that young people of any age can get involved and make meaningful change.

I have two main critiques that keep this from being a 5-star read. One, I wish she had taken the time to acknowledge the privileges of wealth (buying metal/glass replacements) and non-disability (re: straws) that would affect a person's experience while addressing the plastics issue. Two, I wish there had been more of a discussion of the role of reusable plastics in this environmental fight. I know some people try to minimize plastic use entirely, and I wonder what she would have to say. These essays are short by design, but I feel that this would have benefitted from even a brief expansion on both of those points.

Pocket Change Collective has a very simple mission: small, small books that bring awareness of big ideas--such as climate change, gender equity, activism, and improving our global communities-- for young adult readers. Testa does an excellent job in summarizing and detailing the effects of the plastic manufacturing cycle on a global scale. She is able to make connections on her own experiences in taking on the plastics crises. By weaving in personal and factual accounts, readers are able to digest this quick read without feeling preached to. This book is a great example of youth activism and the small steps folks can take to reduce their carbon footprint--Testa even includes actionable items like refusing a straw at a restaurant and the impact it can have on a larger scale. Because this is such a short read, I would have liked to see a "further reading" section or a sources cited for those interested in learning more.

"Taking on the Plastics Crisis" is a book from young activist, Hannah Testa. The book discusses Hannah's upbringing and what led her to start her mission against the looming plastics industry which is quickly ruining our planet. The book outlines the journey that preteens and teenagers can take to create meaningful change within their own communities. It dives deep into the issues that plastics are causing and how damaging those problems are becoming. The author does a great job of noting that some non-profit already exist within the arena, but she encourages people to forge their own path.

I particularly enjoyed her tips to living a more sustainable lifestyle. These tidbits were simple and practical and presented in a very clear manner. Also, I enjoyed that the author challenges the way that readers currently view plastics. The material presented will redefine readers' understanding of the plastics crisis and hopefully inspire the world to do better. Informative, intelligent and motivational, "Taking on the Plastics Crisis" is a succinct but terrific book for readers of all ages looking to make a change on our planet.

I was drawn to this book because I have been working to make changes in my daily activities in order to help our environment more and harm it less, I was hopeful that it would provide new insights and inspiration to increase my efforts, and it did just that. Hannah Testa is a remarkable young woman who tells the story of how she became an activist for the plastic crisis that is taking a toll on our world. She doesn't just share her journey, but also gives practical solutions that most of us can implement in our day to day lives. She humbly shares the spotlight by recognizing other young people who are making an effort to change our world, and in doing so she inspires children, teens, and adults alike by showing hey, there are kids from all different places and walks of life that are standing up and they are being heard, add your voice! She speaks her truth in a way that is never preachy, but is instead passionate and encouraging. This is a wonderful book that brings concise information to those looking to make a difference, it's an easy read that is simple to understand, and I think it's going to bring a lot of light to Hannah's cause.

I'm extremely torn about this book. I think it is excellent for raising awareness and inspiring activism in teens. Hannah Testa's writing is likely to engage many readers and want them to do something to help with this movement. It's great to have a book written by a young person who shows that age is not an obstacle in creating change (and indeed, in some ways has aided her).

However, the book really suffers from a lack of reference or any back matter. There are a lot of important points made in this book, but they need to be backed up by research - not just Testa's claims. It would have been great if there had been any back matter at all, such as resources for readers wanting to learn more or help with the movements discussed within. While the goal of this series appears to be inspiring activism, it does also serve as an educational text and the lack of references is disappointing.