About the Author: Michelle Lord is the author of several books for children including Paterson Prize Honor Book A Song For Cambodia, Nature Recycles, and Animal School: What Class Are You? She lives with her family in New Braunfels, TX.
Book summary: Join four children in a little boat as they discover the magnitude of The Mess That We Made. With rhythmic language and captivating art, this cumulative tale portrays the terrible impact of trash on the ocean and marine life, inspiring us to make changes to save our seas.
Includes a back section with facts about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, ocean pollution, and Calls to Action for kids and grown‑ups to share.
An Interview with Michelle Lord:
What is the main message in your book, The Mess That We Made?
The theme of my book is ocean pollution—especially plastic. The message is that humans made this mess, and now we need to clean it up. Kids can help too.
Why did you want to write about the impact of trash on the ocean and on marine life?
The ocean is vital to life on earth. Millions of plants and animals live in the ocean. This benefits humans with food and medicines. We also depend on the ocean for the air we breathe! It produces more than half of the world’s oxygen.
What simple changes can we make in our lives to help save our oceans?
Plastics that are used one time before being discarded are called single-use plastics. Items like water bottles, grocery bags, and food baggies are single-use plastics. This type of plastic makes up 40% of ocean trash. If each of us made a few changes, we could make a big difference. We can help save our oceans if we forgo straws, drink from reusable water bottles, and pack snacks in reusable containers.
It upsets me when people say, “one person can’t make a difference.” If we all make that excuse, the problem will only get worse. Nobody is perfect, but we can all make simple changes. I believe small efforts can add up to a big change collectively. Let’s make a difference!
What ways would you recommend for children to get involved in raising awareness for our ocean pollution?
Some people may think that children are too young to learn about the devastation of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. I believe children need to know the truth. My book gives children agency—power to make a difference in their world.
The back of my book lists calls to action, things kids can do to fight ocean pollution. One of the suggestions is to volunteer for cleanups to remove trash from beaches, rivers, lakes, and neighborhoods. This way, less trash ends up in our oceans. When we litter, rain often washes our garbage into rivers where it ultimately turns up in the ocean.
You have written other books about recycling and the tide pools. Is this area a main focus in your writing?
I am greatly concerned about the environment. I worry for our children and children of the future. I hope I can make a small difference by raising awareness and a love of nature through my books.
Did you direct the illustrator in creating the images to bring your book to life?
I told my editor that I envisioned a diverse group of children for The Mess That We Made. I sent images of turtles with plastic bags, seals caught in fishing line, and birds feeding plastic to their chicks. I’m not sure if these were shared with the illustrator. I love Julia Blattman’s work. Her illustrations hauntingly capture the horrendous effects of pollution on marine life and show the beauty of a clean ocean if we each do our part.
What would you suggest to young writers who want to become published authors?
Never give up! Read, write, and revise, revise, revise. My stories take dozens of revisions. If I gave up, I would never have become a published author. Set a goal and stick to it.
