Plastic Free July

Plastic Free July & the Power of Storytelling: When Fantasy Meets the Real World

As a children’s author, I believe stories aren’t just escapes; they’re blueprints for change. They ask us to imagine something better, and then to go out and build it. This Plastic Free July, I’ve reflected on how the challenges in Clash of the Totems and the Catastrophe of Callistus don’t belong only to a fantasy world; they belong to ours too.

At the heart of Book Two is a simple, powerful truth:

“Alone you can make a change, but together we make a difference.”

In the story, it’s a line that sparks unity. In real life, it’s a reminder that even when the scale of the climate crisis feels vast—when plastic chokes oceans and litters playgrounds — we are not powerless. Small choices made consistently, and made together, ripple out like waves. And that ripple can become a tide.

That’s the true magic of Plastic Free July.

It isn’t about getting everything right. It’s about opening your eyes. About choosing the cloth bag over plastic, refilling your bottle instead of buying new, or using wax wraps instead of clingfilm for school snacks. These might seem like tiny moments, but they add up. Determined acts of care that, joined with others, spark real change.

In Clash of the Totems, the young heroes learn that strength isn’t just about power; it’s about partnership. It’s not just about bravery; it’s about kindness. It’s about standing for something bigger than yourself. And I see the same spark every time a school runs a litter-pickup, a family starts composting, or a child decides to say no to a plastic straw. That’s real-world courage. That’s real-world magic.

So, as July draws on, I’m inviting you — readers, families, schools, fellow change-makers — to take just one small step toward a lower-plastic future. Let the stories we read and the choices we make reflect the kind of world we want to pass on.

Change may start with one person, but it becomes unstoppable when we stand together.

Happy Plastic Free July.

Let’s not just tell better stories; let’s live them!

Yonnie x