Book Reviews

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans

by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, Jessica Alexanderson

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Book of the Day 7/28/22 – BookBaby Reads

“One of the newest children’s books on BookBaby Bookshop, The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans, is one that should be included on every family and classroom bookshelf. This valuable story introduces early readers to Ellie, a little girl who wants to protect the environment by recycling metal cans. She embarks on an adventure with her friends that teaches them that all metal can be recycled, and teamwork and collaboration can help them achieve their goals.

When I see books like this, I am reminded how valuable children’s books are. I wish that this book existed when I was a child. Teaching lessons about environmentalism at an early age is so crucial, and children’s fiction is the best way to help kids understand these concepts. We’re living in an era where action is needed to preserve our planet’s natural beauty and resources. Environmental protection is a complex and existential topic, and it certainly is no easy task to explain the gravity of it to children.

Although it isn’t easy, it is essential. Because of that, I’m so grateful that books like this exist. Kids need to learn at an early age the importance of recycling and protecting the planet so that future generations can enjoy Earth’s abundance.

Beyond its sustainability education, the book teaches lessons about teamwork, math, community, financial literacy, perseverance, sharing, and charity. This book really stands out because it’s hard to write a fictional story that is so practical. Think about it this way – a story that has unicorns also teaches concepts that apply to daily life. It’s the perfect combination of imaginative and pragmatic.

In addition to its valuable content, the book is vibrantly illustrated and written in a way that children could easily understand. You can get your copy on BookBaby Bookshop and also learn more about the book by visiting Scrap University Kids.” -Published by Joe Yamulla Bookbaby

Book# 2: A Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard!

by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, Jessica Alexanderson

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Book of the Day: A Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard! – BookBaby Reads

The Scrap University Kids team is back with another instant classic children’s book! A sequel to their first bookA Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard is a must-have resource to help kids learn more about recycling metal and caring for the planet. In this sequel story, Ellie and her friends discover that metal is being thrown into the garbage – and they take action to make a difference!

Scrap University Kids makes one important message clear – all metal can be recycled, and metal recycles forever. Obviously, we should always recycle items like cans. But in this book, we’re reminded that metal is metal – and it can be recycled in any form. So, in a quest for a cleaner environment, Ellie and her friends set their sights on all the metal items being thoughtlessly tossed in the trash. They seek out everything from Christmas lights to pots, pans, and all other metal items (even unicorn shoes)!

Joined by Mr. Ferrous Magglio and Gallium the Unicorn, they embark on a meaningful journey to the scrapyard that teaches them plenty – like the difference between ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The book is loaded with bright, cute illustrations and charming storytelling. The Scrap University Kids team does a wonderful job blending imaginative themes with practical education. The story allows children to simultaneously imagine and conceptualize an adventurous story – while also opening their minds to relevant, real-life information. Plus, they will learn how to make some extra cash by partaking in neighborhood clean-up efforts.

This is the perfect book to introduce to children – especially as they transition back to school this Fall. By reading, children will learn the significance of recycling metals and will have plenty of fun throughout the process. Children are the next generation – our planet depends on their environmental awareness and action. Reading the Scrap University Kids’ books is the best way to teach kids the value of recycling and environmental action. You can order your copy of A Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard today. Additionally, you can learn more about Scrap University Kids by visiting their website, or by watching our previous interview here.  ” – Published by Joe Yamulla Bookbaby

Save the world, 1 can at a time!

“We live in the desert and sadly see garbage all over the trails, often times they’re old aluminum cans 🤦‍♀️. Since reading, The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans,  my 2 kids have been excited to ‘look for the cans’ on their outdoor adventures, and we pick them up to recycle when we get home. This book had some invaluable info written in a way that a 3 and 5 year old could understand. The colorful pictures kept their attention, and helped them better understand the importance of recycling. They are excited to cash in their ‘can treasures’ and save some money for new toys. They also eagerly look for the ‘recycle’ logo ♻️ on all our trash so that we can better dispose of our trash. Great read, cute and fun!” – Kristin Kelement, Utah

These seemed like the appropriate bedtime stories tonight!

“What a cool way to teach my daughter the importance of metal recycling on Global Recycling Day. ♻️ The stories are engaging, the characters are cool and the lessons are real. Great work Shaziya Manji Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover & Jessica Alexanderson.” -Ryan Mills Co-Founder at ScrapTrader

Recycling is like magic!

“It’s Global Recycling day on Monday 18th March and I will be delivering these amazing books to local primary schools .. let’s start them young. Thanks to Jessica Alexanderson and Scrap University Kids in America for getting them delivered so quickly. Thanks to Countrywide Metals Ltd and Steve Bird for your support with my many ventures! I would love to roll something like the can challenge out in the UK so if anyone is interested in working with me on this please get in touch.” – Amy Bird Connolley Metals in the UK

#globalrecyclingday #recycling #savetheplanet #nextgeneration

Imagine a world where everyone was taught to recycle from the very beginning so that it just became the thing that you do 🤔 – Amy Bird Connolley Metals in the UK

An uplifting message for kids and adults!

“SPOILERS! First off, my six-year-old daughter’s review: “I love all the colors, and that the girl kept going after she didn’t get a u I corn and her friends helped her and they all got to swim and play together at the end.”

That is enough for me to give it 5 stars. BUT…I was ALSO thrilled with this book! The messages that it sends are numerous and wonderful – help the environment, don’t give up on yourself, it’s okay to ask for help, if you find that you can’t achieve a certain goal (finding an actual unicorn, for example), it’s OKAY to reprioritize and reach for another goal, one person, even a kid, can do amazing things, share your burdens AND your rewards – are all interwoven into a fun and fulfilling story that I think children will truly appreciate and enjoy. In addition, the use of color throughout the book is great, as it snatches a child’s attention and keeps them IN the story.” – Jim Minor, WA

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans is definitely worth checking out!”

“Lulu just finished reading The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans!! She really likes voicing the little magnet  🧲 character, she gave it a squeaky voice. 🤣

We just finished the second book, A Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard! Last night. It was great! ” – Melissa Foo, San Diego, CA

A Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard! “Ferrous, Non-Ferrous and Magnets…….Oh my!!

A huge shoutout to this group of children at the Columbia Library! This crew attended our STEM program offering this morning and dove right into the fascinating world of Metal Recycling. They enjoyed reading all about Ellie and her adventures to the scrapyard–and they even experimented with magnets and different types of metal!

Creating recycling awareness in today’s youth is crucial. It can be as simple as providing them the education, hands-on-learning, and a trip to the recycling facility to realize it is all worth the effort! Especially when they realize they walk out with cash in their pocket.

Part two for this crew–a field trip to our facility to put all this learning in action! We are looking forward to hosting them!

It’s their future and we are happy to invest in it! ♻” -Aileen Romich Sahd Metal Recycling

Car Shredders are COOL!

📚WENDT is proud to be apart of the metal recycling book series by Scrap University Kids! “A Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard” is hot off the presses.

🌎♻️Help us educate our future generations about the great scrap industry we work in each and everyday and the importance of recycling!

✅Pick up your copy today and see if you can spot our WENDT Shredder in the book!” – WENDT Corp

“Engaging and educational meets inspirational and essential metal recycling industries!

This book brings all aspects of creative writing to light while also educating young minds on the importance of sustainability. Don’t miss out on this exciting adventure to learn how your old scrap metal is turned into treasure! “- Colleen Miller Sennebogen

1st graders turned into 2nd graders and they still LOVE The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans!

“Exciting news! Today, my kids surprised me by picking up a book from the library that they could read by themselves – The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans. It’s amazing to see them grow and develop their reading skills! 🦄📚

Some of them even recognized the book from last year, so I got them all hyped up about book 2 – A Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard. I just ordered it from BookBaby and we can’t wait to read it together! ” – Natalia Nigam (Ocean Shores Elementary, WA)

It’s always a LOVELY day when your 1st shipment of books from Scrap University Kids arrives! ♻️❤️


“We are so excited to offer the gift of children’s literacy to our local elementary schools and educate them on what we do!

This is the 2nd book in the series and it’s called “A Recycling Adventure to the Scrap Yard”!

We loved the 1st book The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans so much and the 2nd book is even better!

Our team can’t wait to donate these copies, read to the children, & help them understand the importance of metal recycling. We can’t wait to hear their questions!

Thank you Sims Metal and Jessica Alexanderson for the opportunity and collaboration that is allowing us to give back on so many levels.

Who else will join us?
Stay tuned for so much more. 📚” – Jessica Montes Sims Metals, TX

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans is now in Uganda! 🤩

“Today after the service, I spent my day reading this book, THE GIRL WHO RECYCLED 1 MILLION CANS, from Scrap University Kids. Thank you, Sophi and Fatu, for welcoming me to your place to read.
I hope to visit more places; every metal is recyclable, and together we can save the planet.

We are so grateful that we moved around the school spreading the news about recycling; it was so amazing. Most of the kids got interested after hearing the news to not throw any metal in the trash.
We are also moving around to educate them about recycling. Thank you so much! Scrap U Kids”

Namugaya Stellah Esther CEO/ Founder at Rina Women’s Foundation Uganda Africa

A Recycling Adventure to the Scrapyard! 🤩📚 Book Review:

“My son Logan age five, and I really enjoyed reading this together and we both learned even more about metal recycling. What different metal items are around our house that can be recycled, in addition to cans.

Logan was really happy that Ellie and her friends are back in the new book!
He loved the scrapyard action : especially the pick-up truck getting shredded at the scrapyard!

It was good to learn that this metal gets recycled and what is done with the recycled metal. ♻️

Logan’s other favorite things in the book:
1) Using magnets at the scrapyard and at your house to sort metal, see what sticks and doesn’t stick to the magnets, he is checking everything metal in our house with magnets! 🧲

2) Taking a class trip to the scrapyard, so cool. He is going to ask his teacher about this, if they can go on a class trip like Ellie and her friends! ” – Logan’s mom Jenn

A Trip To The Scrapyard! One of the super fans from the Scrap U books- Owen age 5, was so excited to read what new recycling adventure that Ellie and her friends are up to. 

“Owen is making a return appearance, he really connected with the first book “The Girl Who Recycled One Million Cans”.  Owen is inspired to help the planet by recycling at home. He took the book to his Kindergarten class and his teacher read it to the class so other kids can learn how they can help the planet.

So, I am happy to report that Owen’s interest in metal recycling has now gone up another notch after reading,

” A Trip to the Scrapyard”. Owen was excited to read this book and see what new lessons Ellie and her friends were up to. We have really enjoyed reading this together and see Owen’s enthusiasm, especially for the metal shredding process and how the metal gets re-used. He understood how important this is.

  After reading the book he took these actions:  looking around at our house for other metal items to be recycled and using magnets. The metal shredder was a big highlight- he wants to see one in real life. As expected, he has taken the book to school to share with classmates: Owen thought Ellie and her class were so lucky to have a field trip to the scrapyard! ”

– Rachel sent this book review from her son Owen – age 5. Toronto, Canada

Chanticleer Book 5 Star Review!

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, Jessica Alexanderson (chantireviews.com)

The Girl Who Recycled 1 Million Cans, by Shaziya M. Jaffer, Brad W. Rudover, & Jessica Alexanderson, is perfectly written for children between three and eight years old.

Eye-catching colorful graphics by Adam Trask, fun characters, and a wonderfully lighthearted storyline uphold this book’s message of protecting the environment. Both children and adults will feel empowered to help our planet one can at a time.

An adventurous young girl named Ellie wants to buy a Unicorn. To earn the money she needs, Ellie plans to collect and recycle one million cans. But she soon realizes that her plans may need to take a different track. Together with her community of friends, who show great teamwork and perseverance, environmental lessons continue on with fantastic results.

Few books do such a fine job of combining so many life lessons while still keeping the learning lighthearted and fun.

This is a refreshing tale of environmental hope, and an all-around winner for both children and adults to learn that you can help the planet through something as simple as recycling metals.

One of the coauthors, Jessica Alexanderson, has provided book readings at schools and libraries and has built a fun hands-on program to learn more about metals and recycling.

She has supported many metal recycling fundraisers at not only local schools here in Washington State, but in several other states around the U.S. as well. Jessica recently coordinated a can recycling competition at nine different schools in eight different states.

You can visit the Scrap University Kids website to purchase this wonderful book, learn more about recycling metals, and get started on making a positive difference for our planet! kids.scrapuniversity.com”

Chanticleer Book Reviews