A TEACHER from Frome is celebrating the publication of her children’s book, ‘Nurdle’ which shares an environmental message about microplastics and plastic pollution, encouraging readers to reduce their use of single use plastics.
After a successful Crowdfunder, 500 copies of ‘Nurdle’, written by Claire Vowell, have been published and are now available at Frome bookshop, Hunting Raven.
Claire told Frome Times, “I am so amazingly proud and excited. I can’t believe Nurdle is now a real book, he’s been a character in my head since just before Christmas when I was sitting, feeling overwhelmed knee deep in nurdles – tiny pre-production micro-plastics that are used in plastic production – and now he’s a real book that can be shared with children.
“I’m a book addict and have a house full of books. I’ve been into Hunting Raven a few times now, just to look at the shiny pile of Nurdle books and can’t believe that I actually have a book in there!
“I just hope that Nurdle can help people to understand a little bit more about the implications of single use plastics and how they directly link to the micro plastics that we hear about in the ocean.
“Nurdles are flooding the sea and can now be found on nearly every beach. You may not see them, but they’re there. Nurdle is a really cute character, but he has such an important message to share.
“There has been some lovely feedback so far, but the books are only just being sent out. One person said that she and her children used to collect seashells at the beach, but this year in Croyde, Devon, her family collected nurdles and ocean plastics!
“My friend’s children read the book and immediately started to draw their own family of nurdles and another child created a pixilated super Nurdle character on his own Minecraft island, so the characters seem to be really engaging.
“I have started to make lesson ideas to go with Nurdle too, so teachers and parents can do more things to explain ocean plastic and micro plastics. They are all on the TES.com website.”
The book also features illustrations by Frome local Jo Joof.
Book picture: see page 21
