This charming adventure follows Ella and Dad’s clean-up day as they hop and skip through the pages, sifting through household rubbish together. But before their forgotten junk can make it to the rubbish tip, they encounter a community full of people eager to repurpose their belongings into charismatic contraptions. As they make their way around the neighbourhood, Ella’s rusty trike becomes a garden bed, her holey quilt is transformed into a beloved pet pillow, and even a discarded outfit is fashioned into a funky suit for a scarecrow.
This heartwarming lesson about the value of upcycling and community unfurls through the words of award-winning author Meg McKinlay, inspiring younger generations to take advantage of their creativity in a world exhausted by throwaway tendencies. McKinlay’s quirky characters and their mismatched belongings come to life through renowned illustrator Karen Blair’s playful watercolour and pencil illustrations, which are sure to capture the imagination of younger readers. Ella and the Useless Day is a book saturated with joy that enlivens the possibility of nurturing a sustainable mindset through engaging in everyday household practices.