Lindsey Pritchett - Unlondon (Outside of Class reading)

In the book Unlondon by China Mieville, two girls pass through a hidden passage way in London to an alternate universe. This place they enter into is full of broken, unwanted things, such as an umbrella with a snapped handle. Here, in Unlondon, what is trashed and unwanted in London becomes wanted and useful. This reminded me of the old cliche, "one man's trash is another man's treasure." This is very true in Unlondon. It is a sort of place where what would normally wind up in a garbage dump is recycled and becomes useful. Seeing as this is a children's book, I found it very interesting that the idea of everything having a purpose, even once it is broken is being presented. To me, recycling is very important. The world has a multitude of finite resources, all of which can be preserved to last longer if we recycle. Not only that, but it is also good for the environment. The deeper meaning of this book sort of relays that message. Though the book is mostly fantasy, it does well to encourage children to re-use and recycle their toys instead of merely throwing them out.