This was an amazing book. In our modern world, people go out and buy what they need when they need it. It is a great lesson that someone else’s trash is another’s treasure. You don’t need a fancy guitar if you can make a guitar with rubber bands and a crayon box. How different things in different jars make various types of percussion instruments. This was a fantastic story about kids trying to solve a problem with what they could find in their neighborhood instead of with what they could buy.

4.75 ⭐️
Sounds of Trash is an adorable story of three friends that find creative ways to participate in their annual block party! Raul, Pran, and Mira forage for recycled materials in their neighborhood to make instruments so they can celebrate with neighbors of all backgrounds. This book does an excellent job of blending cultures and providing inclusivity.

I love how this story has a heavy emphasis on engineering and includes a glossary for extended learning. However, as someone who personally works in the field of sustainability, I think the author could have leaned into the “other letters” to provide a more rounded effort to include more components of “STEAM”. How cool would it have been to discuss more on reduce, reuse, and refuse instead of just relying on recycling? Art is implied but a page about adding artistic flare could have a been great additive for parents to discuss with their littles!

Thank you Net Galley and Charlesbridge for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a very cute story of community coming together. I also loved the lesson of working together and using your brain to come up with solutions to your problem. Very cute design as well.

The storyline was cute and interesting. The illustrations were colourful and engaging. I enjoyed learning about some instruments in the "words to know" section at the end. I also liked the section that teaches about the engineering design process and gives some inspiration to experiment with sound and make your own instruments with recycled materials. It's got a lot of follow up activity potential which is something that I really value in a children's book!

Review from my (almost) 7 year old:
I think this book was great! The kids in the story were really creative and made a lot of instruments.

Okay, I love it, love it, love it!
It's a great story for kids, from the storyline, the illustration, and also the way it also give explanation about the things discussed in the book.
The book mainly focused about STEAM - yet it could be introduced in a fun, smooth way, which still makes the book enjoyable and didn't feel like a strict or boring book.
I definitely recommend this book for children above 5 years old.
Could be for younger age with supervision or help from the parents, to fully optimize the book.
If you want to make it as a gift for your friends' kids, I would also recommend it.
Seriously, read it. Help other kids, other parents, other peeps to find it.

Wow this is what I call an excellent read. The story is not rushed or overloaded but just enough to let the reader enjoy every part of it. I like how it incorporates different elements that it ticks all the boxes of what makes a good book. There are lots of lesson and messages this book bring but I wont spoil it for you. Just get this book and enjoy!

A wonderful picture book which will encourage kids to explore sounds using every day objects, discover new sounds and how each material interacting with a different material produces a different sound. I love the 3 characters and their friendship, supporting each other in this task they've taken up. I am a fan of Neha Rawat and she did a spectacular job with her illustrations in the book, making them expressive, diverse and so colorful! This is a fun book to read and you learn more about how sound works in the back pages along with a glossary!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well a big thank you to #NetGalley for an awesome book! I appreciate the ARC copy.

This book would be perfect for earth day or a scout troop learning to use recycled materials. This was a very educational read on turning trash into music.

Sounds of Trash is such a cute book that inspires creativity in little ones. It shows kids how to make music from ordinary objects that they can find around the home and brings joy by bringing people together. I loved that it showed Pran, Mira, and Raúl brainstorming, making mistakes, and trying to make something to share that they’re proud of. This book is definitely one to introduce to your littles. Pair it with a craft and you have a wonderful at-home lesson!

Just a note: there is a slight typo towards the end of the book. When the neighborhood joins in, the word “the” is written twice in one sentence.

What a fantastic story. Pran is excited about the block party but realizes there is no electricity so music won’t be plaid. She he comes up with his own way to make music using trash.