Pagelarking: Beachcombing, Mudlarking, and Textuality

Abstract

ABSTRACT Stories of beachcombing and mudlarking often emphasise the thrill of discovery. While plastic detritus is often taken as a metonym of human-caused pollution, beachcombing texts frequently juxtapose fears for the future with more personal insights and foreground the importance of individual experience in shaping environmental consciousness. Recent illustrated non-fiction by Lara Maiklem, Tracey Williams, and Lisa Woollett, ranging from picture books and field guides to memoir, also highlights the importance of the page as a textual environment. These works use a variety of typographic and illustrative approaches not only to describe beachcombing activities, but to encourage readers’ engagement with the text. Examining these texts in relation to both textual scholarship and philosophical theories of interaction and constellation highlights the complex role of the printed page in introducing readers of all ages to a variety of environmental concerns.