That's Why We Don't Eat Animals: A Book About Vegans, Vegetarians, and All Living Things - Hardcover

Roth, Ruby

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1556437854 ISBN 13: 9781556437854

Publisher: North Atlantic Books, 2009

Synopsis

That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals uses colorful artwork and lively text to introduce vegetarianism and veganism to early readers (ages six to ten). Written and illustrated by Ruby Roth, the book features an endearing animal cast of pigs, turkeys, cows, quail, turtles, and dolphins. These creatures are shown in both their natural state—rooting around, bonding, nuzzling, cuddling, grooming one another, and charming each other with their family instincts and rituals—and in the terrible conditions of the factory farm. The book also describes the negative effects eating meat has on the environment. A separate section entitled “What Else Can We Do?” suggests ways children can learn more about the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, such as:“Celebrate Thanksgiving with a vegan feast” or “Buy clothes, shoes, belts, and bags that are not made from leather or other animal skins or fur.” This compassionate, informative book offers both an entertaining read and a resource to inspire parents and children to talk about a timely, increasingly important subject.

That's Why We Don't Eat Animals official website: http://wedonteatanimals.com/

About this title

About the Author

Ruby Roth is an acclaimed activist, artist, and author whose work has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, The Huffington Post, The Washington Times, Change.org, Glamour, and Wired as well as on The Today Show, FOX, ABC, CNN, and other major media outlets. She first discovered children's interest in veganism while teaching art at an elementary school. Complementing her degrees in art and American studies, she has researched animal agriculture, health, nutrition, and the benefits of a plant-based diet for nearly a decade. A vegan since 2003, she lives in Los Angeles.

Reviews

Some may consider this an attempt to indoctrinate the young, but in truth it’s a courageous stab at a serious topic inherently hinted at through the anthropomorphizing of animals so prevalent in children’s books. By contrasting animal behavior in the wild with that of their counterparts in farms or factories, Roth makes a stark case that by harvesting sentient beings we are stripping them of their rights and natural desires. For example, wild turkeys “fly to the treetops to roost for the night,” but factory-farm turkeys are simply fattened until their wings become useless. Roth uses her own illustrations rather than photos, but she wisely does not make her animals too cute. Be warned: her depictions of poultry confined within filthy cages, while abstract, are fairly disturbing. Inevitably this will book incense those on the other side of the issue but there is much to be learned here (about animal behavior if nothing else). A unique effort that is to be applauded. Grades 3-6. --Daniel Kraus

Edition details

• Publisher: North Atlantic Books
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1556437854
• ISBN 13: 9781556437854
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Roth Ruby
• Number of pages: 48