The Great Stink by Colleen Paeff illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

I have decided I am not very good at asking questions. I need to be way more curious. I have been to London several times but it never occurred to me to ask about or research the word embankment. More about that in a moment.

This book begins in 1500. In London at this time sewers carry rainwater to rivers so the city won't flood. Poop or poo and pee go into deep holes called cesspools. When these become full it is time to hire nightsoil men who sell the poo (poop) to farmers as a fertilizer. Jump forward to 1819 and people are installing flush toilets. Some people connect their toilets directly to the sewer and so pee and poo now end up in the river!

The first epidemic of cholera hits London in 1832 and 6,563 people die. Problem is no one makes the connection between this catastrophe and the sewerage going into the river. The government believe the cause is in the air in pockets called miasmas. Oh no - now they order people to send their waste straight into the Thames. AND people are drinking this water too. Another cholera outbreak and 14,137 people are dead. 

Meanwhile a young man called Joseph Bazalgette takes on the job of mapping the sewers of London.

"The sewers are a disorganized, haphazard, higgledy-piggledy mess."

Finally, the authorities call for help - they need a civil engineer. Joseph is the chief engineer. He designs a system of gigantic sewer pipes which will move the sewerage out to the ocean. The debate continues into 1856. This scheme will be very expensive - too expensive. By 1858 the city is almost unlivable. The hot sun of summer adds to the stench - it is now the Great Stink! Finally, the parliament give approval for the building of the huge pipes.

"It is almost impossible for Joseph to find open space where he can build new sewer pipes without causing roadblocks, traffic and major headaches for Londoners. So in some areas he creates man-made riverbanks called embankments."

The final pages of this splendid book talk about the situation in our world today with the disposal of sewerage and also list alternate schemes. There is also a detailed timeline, further reading list and bibliography. 

Read a very detailed interview with Seven Impossible Things featuring Colleen Paeff and Nancy Carpenter. Colleen Paeff has other links on her web page. Here is a set of detailed teachers notes with science experiments. In this blog post Mr Schu talks to Colleen Paeff. 

This informative exploration of London’s sanitation history will delight nonfiction fans interested in history, ecology, biography, and more. Kirkus Star review

Back to embankments. You can read more here and here The story of London's embankment. 

As a part of their science or geography topic our Grade four students used to investigate waste disposal systems. I am not sure if this is still the case but I used to read quite a few books (some were very funny) about poo.

Here are a couple of videos you could use with a primary class:

Where does the water go? - Sewerage treatment Melbourne

How Do Sewer Systems Work?

A brief history of toilets TED (High School level)

Awards for The Great Stink:

• 2022 Robert F. Sibert Honor Book, Association for Library Services to Children
• 2022 Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction Text for Young Readers, SCBWI
• 2022 Cook Prize Honor Book, Bank Street College of Education
• 2022 Notable Book, American Library Association
• 2022 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People, Children’s Book Council
• 2022 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Gem, Texas Library Association
• 2022 Best STEM Books K-12, National Science Teaching Association
• 2021 Best Informational Books for Younger Readers, Chicago Public Library
• Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

If you come to Earth by Sophie Blackall

"We humans define ourselves by where we were born, where we live, what we believe, by the clothes we wear and the languages we speak. But there is no 'typical' person. We are all different. Yet there is something we all share - the planet on which we live."

If you come to earth begins with a view of the universe. Quinn, the author of the letter, takes reader and the visitor from outer space down through the stars flying high above the planet and gradually getting closer and closer so we can see houses, people enjoying a picnic, facial expressions, brightly coloured and varied clothing, the seasons, methods of transport (road, air and water), school life, famous people, leisure time, a diverse meal time and then we see the wonders of our planet. Our precious water, sea life, land animals, and birds. This is my favourite page. Then Sophie explores music, art and communication. We have natural things and man made; big things and tiny things but it is the next page that may make you gasp:

"Some things are invisible. wind; invisible cloak; gravity; electricity; the smell of roast chicken, old socks, frangipani, wet wool; sound waves; germs."

There are times when people are hurt or sadly hurt one another but things are much better when we help each other - thank you Sophie this scene is a library!! Over time all humans grow and learn to tell stories. Finally Quinn says:

"If you come to Earth, you can stay in my room. Love Quinn."

In this generous video Sophie talks about her book and the five years of work that went into the creation of a book that everyone should treasure. I think this book should be added to EVERY library and also go out right now and buy this book as a Christmas present for someone precious in your family. In this interview Sophie talks about her book.

Two-time Caldecott Medalist Blackall balances eye-catching double-page spreads with white space, even focusing on a single powerful image—for instance, one giant bird formed from dozens of small birds fit together. ... Each rich illustration invites return visits to investigate all the small, and big, details it contains. Kirkus

Sweet, funny, moving, timely, and beautiful. Horn Book

The visual detail is awesome and the importance of seeing each person as a unique, valued human being worthy of our respect and care, and of the vital necessity too caring for the Earth, shine through the entire book. Red Reading Hub

Some things to notice in this book (there are sure to be more):  

Quinn looks just like the Ezra Jack Keats boy in Snowy Day and he appears on nearly every page.

• Houses page - look for the caravan with the clothes line and the line of people who have lost their homes
• Picnic page - look for the book with a map of Australia (Sophie is from Australia but lives in NYC)
• Transport page - look for the Christmas tree; stretch limo; and snowboarder
• School page - the kids are drawing the aliens we will later see on under the dust jacket

You might also hunt for several lighthouses; a puffin; Quinn playing a triangle; and a boomerang. You will also want to linger over the page of fifty paint tubes with their creative and funny names: slug belly, proud, baby tooth, vacuum bag dirt and dreams do come true.  Sophie should ask Dulux if she can name their next range of paints. She has invented some really nifty labels.

I do need to say one thing to Sophie (if she happens to read this post) - I was utterly devastated when Hello Lighthouse was not awarded a prize by our Children's Book Council of Australia. I am associated with several school libraries and we were all so certain Hello Lighthouse would WIN. At least the short listing for 2020 means hundreds indeed thousands of children in Australian schools have seen this glorious book.

Sophie has written over 45 books. Here are a few I adore: