The mess that we made

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I am Kathryn Hahn
and I’m gonna be reading
The Mess That We Made
Written by Michelle Lord
Illustrated by Julia Blattman

THIS is the mess that we made.

These are the fish
that swim in the mess that we made.

This is the seal
that eats the fish
that swim in the mess that we made.

This is the net
that catches the seal,
that eats the fish
that swim in the mess that we made.

This is the boat of welded steel,
that dumps the net,
that catches the seal,
that eats the fish
that swim in the mess that we made.

This is the current that swirls through the bay,
that rocks the boat of welded steel,
that dumps the net, that catches the seal,
that eats the fish
that swim in the mess that we made.

This is the turtle, green and gray,
that rides the current through the bay,
that rocks the boat of welded steel,
that dumps the net, that catches the seal,
that eats the fish
that swim in the mess that we made.

This is the plastic, thrown away,
that traps the turtle, green and gray,
that rides the current through the bay,
that rocks the boat of welded steel,
that dumps the net, that catches the seal,
that eats the fish
that swim in the mess that we made.

This is the landfill,
growing each day,
that spills the plastic, thrown away,
that traps the turtle, green and gray,
that rides the current through the bay,
that rocks the boat of welded steel,
that dumps the net, that catches the seal,
that eats the fish
that swim in the mess that we made.

We are the people at work and at play,
that stuff the landfill, growing each day,
that spills the plastic thrown away,
that traps the turtle, green and gray,
that rides the current through the bay,
that rocks the boat of welded steel,
that dumps the net, that catches the seal,
that eats the fish
that swim in the mess that we made.

Look at the mess that we made.

BUT…
we are the ones who can save the day,
reduce our waste at work and at play,
recycle the plastic thrown away,
to shrink the landfill without delay.

We rescue the turtle, green and gray,
and haul the garbage from the bay.

We protest the boat of welded steel,
collect the nets and free the seal,
that eats the fish…
that swim in the ocean
that WE save!

What I love so much about this book, um, is that
I love how they capture the ocean, the colors, um, the,
the magic of being close to the ocean.

And also, that it, it also tells you how serious it is
How, how, how,
how serious it is that our ocean is hurting.

But at the same time, it’s very hopeful.
Because there’s a lot of action steps that we can take,
every one of us,
to do our part to help these animals and to help the ocean itself to recover.

We don’t have to feel like it’s hopeless.
That there’s little things that we can do ourselves
and to encourage each other to do.

That’s why I love this this book so so much.

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