Taking a Close Look at Microfibres is based on what we learned from a project about air pollution that researchers at the University of the West of England in Bristol did with schools. The team worked with 9 to 11 years olds to investigate the microfibres in the air at their schools to answer questions such as where the microfibres were from and how many of them there were. This book tries to answer some of these questions and encourages you to observe, question, and reflect on your environment with curiosity and care.
Luci Gorell Barnes made the illustrations in this book by scanning recycled plastics, fabrics, card and paper - which are materials that shed microfibres – and then using these scans to create digital collages.
A set of free activities ideal for home and school associated with the themes in this book are available at: www.uwe.ac.uk/research/centres-and-groups/scu/projects
ISBN: Print version: 978-1-86043-626-0
Electronic version: 978-1-86043-627-7
Date of publication: 2025
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the schools, children and parents who took part in the Schools Under the Microscope project that informed this book.
The funding for this book was supported by UKRI (Grant number: BB/V012584/1)
What’s floating in the air around us, where does it come from and what can we do about it?
Taking a closer look at Microfibres is a visually rich, research-informed children’s book that invites readers to find out about the hidden world of airborne microfibres in everyday spaces like homes and schools. This book helps us see the unseen.
