My River: Cleaning up the LaHave River

Gr 5–8—Stella lives in a small community in Nova Scotia, where some people on the river still use "straight pipes," dumping water and waste from their toilets, sinks, and showers directly into the river outside their homes. The young woman thoughtfully recounts how she found out about the sewage and developed a campaign to change the environment of the LaHave River. Coauthor Carter was one of the first to see Stella's sign on the river: "This river is contaminated with fecal bacteria." The 11-year-old's family's septic system developed problems, and authorities indicated that though legally the family was responsible for fixing their own plumbing, most still used straight pipes. Stella quickly realized that what is flushed from the toilet—especially fecal matter—ends up in the river, where people swim and boat. A budding scientist, Stella tackled the issue by testing the river water. With her mom's help, she approached Coastal Action, a charitable organization devoted to protecting the ecosystem of southern Nova Scotia. The tween raised her concerns to the community and convinced them that straight pipes should be eliminated. This is a fantastic story of a young activist who recognized a problem and worked hard to solve it. The title is filled with great photos of Stella working step-by-step to clean up the river.