A good children’s book that highlights topical issues and remains entertaining and accessible can be hard to find. Which is why it’s so exciting to see a children’s fictional book by a Co. Waterford author that highlights ocean plastic pollution!
Richard Shore created ‘The Tangled Tuna’ in the ‘Hurrahtum Adventures!’ series during the pandemic and has decided 50% of the profits will be going to a charity protecting seas from plastic.
Ideal as a bedtime story, it focuses on a girl (Lucy) who has adventures when she shouts the magic word “Hurrahtum” – which makes a cove and boat appear. In the eBook, Lucy rescues tuna caught in a discarded fishing net, known as ghost fishing, whereby lost and abandoned fishing gear remains in the ocean, continuing to catch fish and other animals.
Ghost gear, which causes ghost fishing, is expected to remain in the oceans for hundreds of years, gradually breaking into harmful microplastics. Approximately 640,000 tonnes of nets, lines, pots and traps used in commercial fishing enter the ocean every year.
Richard, who’s passionate about the ocean and surfs locally, wanted to make a difference with the book. He’s donating 50% of the profits from the book sales to Plastic Oceans UK – a non-profit organisation whose mission is to stop plastic reaching the ocean within a generation.
Profits raised will help the charity to support their Youth Outreach programmes for ages11 – 25, empowering underrepresented young people to develop their own voice on the issues relating to ocean threats.
Richard said: “We love going to the beach as a family and enjoying the sea, but not with plastic there! So, I wanted to do something positive. I wrote ‘The Tangled Tuna’ to highlight what’s happening in our world’s oceans and inspire people to do what they can. The book is vibrantly illustrated, and there’s an exciting and inventive end to Lucy’s adventure.”
Kavina Upadhyay-Fear, Head of Inclusion & Outreach at Plastic Oceans UK, said: “At Plastic Oceans UK, we are very grateful to be able to continue working towards our mission during the Covid-19 pandemic – recognising that our work would not be possible without the support of generous individuals and organisations committed to the cause.”
Richard started writing bedtime stories for children when he moved to Ireland from the UK in 2009.
He created two personal adventure series for his children, ‘Hurrahtum Adventures!’ for his daughter, and ‘Will’s Wild Adventures’ for his son. He then decided to independently publish them via Amazon.
These important and timely books are a great resource for teacher sand parents alike, making a complex issue relatable and understandable. Illustrated and engaging, these books would be gorgeous little stocking fillers for Christmas too!
The Tangled Tuna can be purchased worldwide, priced at £4.99 (or country equivalent) by clicking here.
For further information on Plastic Oceans UK, visit here.
And for further information on all Richard Shore books visit here.
