Far away, in the middle of the ocean, an island has formed, not from sand or rock, but from colorful plastic. The people who let this plastic drift into the ocean can’t see the island, but the birds can as they fly over the sea. As innocent birds stop to rest and feed, the plastic finds its way into their bodies. These birds are not alone. All creatures living in the sea risk the same fate: ingesting plastics.

It is estimated that there are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean, with more than 8 million tons of new plastic entering every year. Seabirds are among the creatures most affected by this waste. The Plastic Island tells the urgent story of plastic pollution in our oceans and its impact on marine life through the eyes of a seabird. The vivid, man-made colors of plastic contrast with the natural world drawn in black ink as the sea loses its blue. The illustrations, quiet yet powerful, reinforce the urgent message of rethinking plastic waste.