The Last Plastic Straw

by Dee Romito

Published 21 February 2023
Learn how and why a useful, 5000-year-old invention has become a threat to our planet--and what you can do about it--in this history of the simple straw.

From reeds used by ancient Sumerians to bendy straws in World War II hospitals, people have changed the straw to fit their needs for 5000 years. Today however, this useful tool is contributing to the plastic problem polluting our oceans. Once again, the simple straw needs a reinvention.

With bright illustrations and well-researched text, children can read about the inventors behind the straw’s technological advancements, including primary sources like patents, as well as how disposable plastic harms the environment. See the newest solutions, from plastic straw alternatives to activism by real kids like Milo Cress who started the Be Straw Free campaign when he was 11 years old.

Learn about what kids can do to reduce plastic waste. The backmatter includes more information on the movement to stop plastic waste, action items kids can do, a bibliography, and additional resources on plastic pollution. 

Books for a Better Earth are designed to inspire children to become active, knowledgeable participants in caring for the planet they live on.


A Horn Book Fanfare Book
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection!
A Green Earth Book Award Recommended Title

The Air We Share

by Dee Romito

Published 1 April 2025
What goes up there ends up here! That's because air travels around the earth and carries lots of stuff in it!

Air carries mostly good stuff like seeds, scents, and sounds. And it carries bad stuff like ash, dust and smog.

Read about . . . the eruption of the volcano Krakatoa that sent ash into the air and around the earth, The Black Sunday Dust Storm that traveled from Oklahoma to the East Coast, and The Great Smog of London that killed thousands of people. Then learn about what people can do to protect the air we share.

You will also like The Last Plastic Straw: A Plastic Problem and Finding Ways to Fix It by Dee Romito and illustrated by Ziyue Chen. 

The Books for a Better Earth™ collection is designed to inspire young people to become active, knowledgeable participants in caring for the planet they live on. Focusing on solutions to climate change challenges and human environmental impacts, the collection looks at how scientists, activists, and young leaders are working to safeguard Earth's future.