How We Make Stuff

Reviews / Votes

How We Make Stuff by Christiane Dorion | Book Review. How We Make Stuff is an
engaging and educational exploration of how we design, produce and dispose of
everyday products such as t-shirts, mobile phones and burgers. What are rubber
ducks really made of? Where do burgers come from? Does chocolate really grow on
trees? How do we turn trees into paper? What's the link between gorillas and mobile
phones?
If you are a parent, your child often bombards you with the most fascinating questions
-- questions that probably make you stop and think, too. In How We Make Stuff
[Templar Publishing; 2012: Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US], writer
Christiane Dorion provides some answers to some of the burning questions of
childhood -- at least a few of which remained unanswered from her own youth.
This large, highly interactive book uses colourful diagrammes and flowcharts, along
with a variety of fun booklets, flaps, tabs and pop-ups that describe how we design,
produce and dispose of everyday products such as clothing, mobile phones and
several common food items. It also explains the history and environmental impacts of
human technology.
Each section or chapter is a 2-page spread filled with charming and quirky paintings
by artist Beverley Young, who illustrated the other two books in this award-winning
"How it works" series. At the beginning of this book, a group of factories pop up,
showing how our inventions have changed how a variety of everyday items are
made. Later in the book, another section points to the curious juxtaposition between
single-use disposable products that are made from materials that will last forever --
unless we develop methods for recycling or reusing these items. Along those lines,
one of the flaps is a refrigerator door that can be opened to show the six types of
plastic containers we use, and next to that is a pull-tab showing what happens to
plastics that are not recycled. * The Guardian * "Playful, creative and educational, 'How we make stuff' offers a hands-on introduction to circular economy principles and packs many real-life examples to which young readers can relate. Author Christiane Dorion and illustrator Beverley Young have created a very entertaining and informative pop-up book, which opens readers to the exciting possibilities of the future!"? -- Dame Ellen MacArthur * The Ellen MacArthur Foundation * 'Attractive and full of interest, the book packs a powerful punch, carrying an important message and backed by a wealth of resources online.' -- Books for Keeps "Up-to-date in both content and in terms of its strong messages on sustainability and the future of design, this book will inform as well as providing an inspiring challenge for new generations of engineers and designers to take up." * BookTrust * 'I would recommend this book for children of all ages. The pop-ups and pull-tabs help to keep the reading experience interesting' * Armadillo magazine * At a time when children are surrounded by 'stuff', from fast food to trainers and mobile phones, this isa timely reminder of where all these items come from and what it takes to actually make them.With lift-the-flaps and pop-ups, there's plenty to keep small fingers busy, and although the book fights shy of addressing sweat shops or
politics, it does have a powerful underlying message of sustainability and awareness of the chain of
production that goes into making 'disposable' stuff. * Irish Daily Mail * "More than just another pretty children's book, the author provides an informative and thought-provoking starting point for a dinner-table or classroom discussion about the practicalities of sustainable living" * Guardian.co.uk *