It was so cool to see a number of sculptures from an exhibition entitled, Washed Ashore Project. All the sculptures were created from plastics and debris collected from ocean cleanups.

I loved the fact that the exhibit was photographed, and an explanation about plastic pollution was included for kids. A great way to extend the exhibit and reach an even larger audience. This is a book that I think would be a great companion book for teachers that cover pollution in their curriculums.

I was given a copy of this story to read; but thoughts and opinions are all my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Lerner Publishing Group - Millbrook Press for the chance to read this book!

Washed Ashore: Making Art from Ocean Plastic is an exhibition in book form featuring 14 sculptures from the Washed Ashore Project perfectly photographed by Kelly Crull. Released 1st March 2022 by Lerner on their Millbrook Press imprint, it's 36 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats.

The project and sculptures are part of a traveling exhibition to promote awareness of the crisis of plastic pollution and its effect on the environment, the ocean, and the creatures who live in ocean habitats. The book is written in very simple accessible language which will be easy to read and understand for primary grade readers (ca. 6-10 years).

The photography is full color, crisp and quite compelling. It's easy to get lost in the pictures; deciphering the construction and the found objects which make up the sculptures. Each of the feature pages also contains photos of specific objects for readers to find as an extra activity. The artist and publisher have also included links and online resources for further reading.

This would be a good tie-in for a classroom unit on ecology as well as art, and a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition or home use.

Five stars. It's very short but quite captivating.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

This is a test review because I work for the publisher and don't want to skew the results but need to get these off my shelves.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Washed Ashore by Kelly Crull is an interesting look into where plastic products go when we're done with them. The book includes stunning, full-color photos of sculptures by artist Angela Haseltine Pozzi. Using discarded plastic trash, she creates sculptures of wildlife affected by plastic pollution.

Overall, Washed Ashore is an amazing photo-book that will definitely start a conversation for children about plastic pollution. One highlight of this book are the sculptures. They're at times brilliant, at times grotesque. When I remembered that all of the sculptures were made from plastic that clogs up our oceans, it made me shudder. If you're intrigued by the description, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in March!

Washed Ashore is an ideal book for representing Ocean Literacy Principle #6: The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected. (https://www.marine-ed.org/ocean-literacy/essential-principles). An ocean-literate person understands the Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts about the ocean; can communicate about the ocean in a meaningful way; and is able to make informed and responsible decisions regarding the ocean and its resources. Not only do readers learn about the marine life, but the author and artist have found a unique and impactful way to communicate about the ocean's importance. Furthermore, the suggestions for how the reader can reduce their plastic footprint that accompany every piece of art are tangible calls to action. The seek-and-find, the story of how the sculptures are made, and the life cycle of the plastic bottle are engaging and informative additions. It's a must have for any STEAM program, school or classroom.

This book is all about sculptures made out of trash found on the beach. I cannot believe the sheer creativity, time, and dedication that this took. It also have "can you find this object?" on each photograph and information about building these sculptures. (Each one is very large!) An important book about the beauty of recycling and repurposing.

This book offers so much! Not only does it display a fascinating collection of found object art made from ocean debris, but it's also a primer on sea life, a guide to conservation and sustainable living, and even a seek-and-find game as readers are challenged to spot objects in each sculpture.

Students will be fascinated by the art and also by learning about marine creatures. There are instructions for how to do a beach clean-up and for how to attempt a found object sculpture of one's own. This is a great resource to inspire students towards mindful consumption and disposal and would also be a great lure to get a reluctant reader engaged with a book. This would be an excellent purchase for school and classroom libraries for both elementary and middle schools!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Washed Ashore is an important book that tells the story of ocean plastic pollution. I saw their zoo exhibit in 2019 and the sculptures were truly stunning, even though ocean plastic isn’t deserving of our admiration. Washed Ashore teaches about the huge problem of ocean pollution. Just off the coast of California, we have our own Great Garbage Patch that goes on for miles. This is a great addition to our school library on ocean plastic pollution. Only through education, we can try to do better.

I feel bad for enjoying this book because of all the ocean trash that was used to create the items, but I found it amazing. I hate that it is such a problem, but if more people can learn about the problem then it could make a difference.

Washed Ashore is a picture book that tells the story of marine animals and how they've been affected by the garbage filling the oceans. Each animal is represented by a sculptured created using trash harvested from the ocean and there is an "I spy" activity on each page challenging readers to find specific pieces of trash used in the creation. A list of actions is provided that children can take to reduce their own contribution to the ever-increasing amount of trash we produce. Additional resources are included at the end. This is an age-appropriate engaging presentation of the damage we are doing to the earth with some good habits children can start to develop now to reduce their future impact.

Author Kelly Crull features the artworks of environmental activist Angela Haseltine Pozzi in this creative, engaging dive into human's impacts and how we can help protect ocean environments and their inhabitants. Meant for the elementary grades, this book can be read as an interactive read-aloud or independently but stronger readers. Colorful artworks hide secret treasures to be searched for and text bubbles include eco-friendly tips we can use to protect our ocean friends. Inspirational eco-friendly arts and craft idea and glossary along with further reading suggestions round out this buried treasure. A must-have for any school library!

I love this idea and I love what the author has done, creating art and cleaning up beaches. Plus this is a seek and find book to help engage kids! Includes ways we can help clean up our planet, reduce waste and help the world. Amazing photos and story. Great book and I highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy!