Picture books about kids who fix things
The Rummage Crew is a picture-book series for kids ages 5 to 9. Six friends and a raccoon named Rummage go hunting for old, broken and forgotten things, fix them up, and find them a new home.
Rethink · Refuse · Reduce · Reuse · Repair · Recycle
Six kids, six Rs
Most kids learn reduce, reuse, recycle. The Rummage Crew has six Rs, and each kid in the crew looks after one. Each book follows one kid and their R, in the order that saves the most: think again first, recycle last.
- RRethink
Rethink: think again
Look at a thing a new way before you toss it. An old jar could hold pencils. A rusty wagon could carry donations.
- RRefuse
Refuse: say no thanks
Ask "do we really need it?" and say no thanks to things you will not use: extra straws, freebies, more plastic bags.
- RReduce
Reduce: use less
Use less in the first place: fewer new things, less packaging, less waste.
- RReuse
Reuse: use it again
Use it again, give it a new job, or pass it on: hand-me-downs, toy swaps, a box turned into a fort.
- RRepair
Repair: fix it
Mend it instead of replacing it: sew the seam, oil the wheel, glue the spine.
- RRecycle
Recycle: make it into something new
Sort what is really finished so its materials can become new things.
Book 1 · Coming soon
The Secret of the Squeaky Wagon
An old wagon stuck in the blackberry vines, a squeak nobody can explain, and a torn polar bear who needs mending.
The crew pulls an old wagon out of a blackberry hedge, solves the mystery of its squeak, and turns it into a donation wagon for the kids down the street.
Meet the Rummage Crew
Six kids, a cat, a polar bear and a raccoon. Which one are you?
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The ArtistAria
Big sister, paintbrush always in hand. Aria can make an old thing look brand new.
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The GiverZoey
Seven, kind-hearted and never without Poley, her small white polar bear.
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The FixerKoru
Goggles down, wrench out. If it squeaks, Koru wants to know why.
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The OrganizerMarcus
Clipboard, checklist, plan. Marcus makes sure the crew gets it done.
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The GardenerLeo
Straw hat, garden trowel and a wheelchair with rainbow spokes. Leo finds what others miss.
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The DetectivePenny
Magnifying glass first. Penny spots clues nobody else sees.
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The raccoon sidekickRummage
A small raccoon with a rainbow bead necklace. The crew is named after him.
Free for families and classrooms
Activities, book lists and explainers to go with the stories. Made for parents and K–3 teachers.
Reduce, reuse, recycle for kids
The 3 Rs (plus Repair) explained simply, with examples kids can do today.
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20 Earth Day activities
Crafts, games and fix-its, sorted by Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle.
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Read-alouds for preschool to grade 3.
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Five simple, kid-safe repairs: a stuffed animal seam, a squeaky wheel, a torn book.
About the series
What is The Rummage Crew?
The Rummage Crew is a picture-book series for children ages 5 to 9 by Ken Yeung. Six kids and a raccoon named Rummage find old, broken and forgotten things and give them a new life by fixing, reusing, sharing and recycling them.
What age is The Rummage Crew for?
The books are written for ages 5 to 9 (kindergarten to grade 3) as read-alouds, and confident early readers can read them alone. Sentences are short, with lots of sound words like SQUEAK, CLINK and POP.
What is the first Rummage Crew book about?
In Book 1, The Secret of the Squeaky Wagon, the crew pulls an old wagon out of a blackberry hedge, finds out why it squeaks (rust), fixes and paints it, and uses it to deliver donated toys and books to kids down the street. Along the way Zoey's polar bear Poley gets torn and her big sister Aria mends him.
What are the six Rs in The Rummage Crew?
Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle, one for each kid in the crew. They are the six Rs of sustainability taught in many schools: the familiar three Rs plus the steps that come before the bin. Each book focuses on one R: Book 1 is Repair and Book 2 is Recycle.
Where can I buy The Rummage Crew books?
Book 1 is coming soon in paperback on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca. Teachers and librarians can ask about class sets on the For teachers page. Join the launch list to hear the day it is out.
Is the series diverse and inclusive?
Yes. The crew includes East Asian sisters, a Black boy, a boy with tan skin and glasses, a red-haired boy who uses a wheelchair with rainbow spokes, and a freckled girl detective. Every kid is a full member of the team with their own job.
Free printable pack every season