Those who have read my nonfiction picture book Glitter Everywhere! Where It Came From, Where It’s Found & Where It’s Going know that while there are things to love about this common classroom craft material, there are also some aspects that we may be less enthusiastic about.

Illustrator Chaaya Prabhat and I, along with publisher Charlesbridge, made the decision to be honest with young readers about glitter’s downsides, and I’m so glad we did. Because that has allowed me to be wholly excited to follow this recent news from Anchorage, Alaska, reported by KTUU:

The Anchorage School Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to eliminate plastic glitter from Anchorage schools, following an advocacy drive from a Girl Scouts troop that cited growing concerns about microplastic pollution and its impact on human health and wildlife.

The 7-0 vote approves a resolution aimed at removing plastic glitter from schools across the district. The action stems from the BioGlitter Initiative, launched by Girl Scouts of Alaska Troop 436, which calls for reducing microplastics in schools and communities.

I don’t know any of those kids, but I sure am proud of them. Good for the school board, too.

For my January 2026 giveaway to subscribers to my monthly Bartography Express newsletter (folks can sign up here), I’m giving away four signed copies of Glitter Everywhere! The book contains no actual glitter but does talk about biodegradable alternatives to the plastic stuff.

If you’d like to be one of the winners, by the end of this month either say so in the comments below or contact me directly, and you’ll be in the running. (Subscribers with U.S. mailing addresses only.)