Mr. King likes to toss out his old things in favor of new ones, until he discovers recycling—with a little help from his friends.
A silly cat named Mr. King likes “LOTS of new things.” If something becomes a bit old, he “tosses it into the nearby pond and replaces it with a new one.” One day, Mr. King goes fishing in the pond, and something really BIG tugs the line. Alarmed, Mr. King pulls hard and hauls in the “scariest-looking thing” he’s ever seen. Screaming for help, Mr. King rows frantically to shore, towing the monster behind. While Mr. King hides, his friends arrive. All they find is an assemblage of discarded, useful things. Bert the bear can use the ladder, squirrels Skit and Scat turn a trumpet into a house, Old Jim Elk repairs an umbrella, P.J. the hare collects chairs to seat her family, and Tex the fox claims a table. When Mr. King discovers the monster is really his discarded stuff, he’s embarrassed and opts to make some new things from the old. Busy, cheery mixed-media illustrations in blues, greens and yellows rely on flat patterns and loose outlines to humorously highlight foolish Mr. King’s progression from thoughtless wasting to frantic overreacting to resourceful recycling.
Waste not, want not. (Picture book. 3-7)
