252 Vegbooks reviews published in 2011.
When the typical order of daily events breaks down on a farm, some atypical helpers emerge in Chickens to the Rescue. Silly events develop as the helpful poultry assist in all quarters. Watch fell down a well? Too…
Tags: ChickensEarly ElementaryFarmFarmed AnimalsHumorJennifer GannettJohn HimmelmanPreschoolers
In this picture book, Chris Gall employs a mixture of verse and prose to tell a cautionary tale of the consequences of pranks, misdeeds and carelessness. When a mysterious green, one-eyed character, “the Substitute…
Tags: Andrea ZollmanChris GallEarly ElementaryHalloweenPreschoolersSchoolTeachers
This book is an excellent introduction to the Buddhist concepts of karma and satsarma. Set in Vietnam, the story begins and ends with a young girl named Mai, who longs to set sparrows at a nearby temple free from…
Tags: BirdsBuddhismEarly ElementaryEujin Kim NeilanJennifer GannettKindness to AnimalsRoseanne ThongSparrowsVietnam
What do you do when you notice all hell’s broken loose? That’s the question frog researcher Edgardo Griffith faced when he observed the dramatically declining populations of Panama’s national amphibian symbol, the…
Tags: AmphibiansCarolyn M. MullinEdgardo GriffithEnvironmentFrogsMysteryOlder ElementaryPanamaSandra MarkleScienceScience Books
Last year’s big screen release, “How to Train Your Dragon” has a powerful message about tolerance and respect for animals. Set in a Viking village, the film opens on a scene of terrible violence in which humans and…
Tags: AnimatedAnimated MoviesDepictions of Meat in FilmDragonsEarly ElementaryFamily FilmsFamily MoviesGenesis AwardsOlder Elementary
Chickens Aren’t the Only Ones doesn’t start off on a promising note for vegans because the first few pages are dedicated to the traditional notion that chickens lay eggs to be bought, eaten (boiled or fried) or dyed.…
Tags: AmphibiansBirdsChickensDinosaursEarly ElementaryFishJennifer GannettNatural HistoryReptilesRuth HellerWildlife
You don’t hear much historical lore about bald eagles outside of them being known as the United States’ national bird, and even that was famously contested by Benjamin Franklin’s favoritism for the American turkey.…
Tags: Anne LeeBirdsCaptive WildlifeCarolyn M. MullinCivil WarEaglesEarly ElementaryHistoryPatrick YoungPreschoolersRaptorsWarWild Animals in Captivity
As a nature lover, exposing my children to and helping them to learn about the great outdoors is paramount to me. From discussing things that fly by to taking nature walks, creating an appreciation for the natural…
Tags: CloudsDandelionsEarly ElementaryFirefliesJacqueline BodnarLisa Campbell ErnstNonfictionPreschoolersSnailsWagons
A sign displayed on the wall of our veterinarian’s office discusses what indoor cats “miss” — indoor-only cats miss out things like attacks by wild or domestic animals, being hit by vehicles, killing songbirds, abuse…
Tags: CatsCompanion AnimalsEarly ElementaryIllustrationJennifer GannettJoy HarjoNative AmericanNative PeoplesPaul Lee
Upon receiving a review copy of this collection of “36 color-and-learn placemats,” I immediately tore out one of the perforated pages and set it under my almost 3 year old daughter’s dinner plate. The sheet is about…
Tags: Early ElementaryFruitsHealthy ChoicesHealthy EatingHealthy LivingHoma WoodrumPreschoolersRyan SiasVegetables
I’m naturally drawn to historical accounts involving animals, and the story of Gracie, a lighthouse cat whose kitten becomes imperiled during a storm is a short, action-packed and dramatic one. Based on a true…
Tags: Animal EmotionAnimal FamiliesCarolyn M. MullinCatsCompanion AnimalsEarly ElementaryHistoryPreschoolersRuth Brown
In the world in which we live, bugs usually get a bad rap! People fear them, don’t understand them and, well, tend to run from them. But one read through a book like Bugs by the Numbers and people may start to turn a…
Tags: CockroachesEarly ElementaryFleasInsectsJacqueline BodnarMosquitoesPreschoolersSarah ForssSharon Werner
Come and Eat! is a delicious banquet of food photos and cultural eating customs around the world. It brings to mind Time Photos of “What the World Eats” (Peter Menzel’s book Hungry Planet) except Come and Eat! serves…
Tags: Cultural TraditionsDepictions of Meat in BooksEarly ElementaryFood ChoicesGeorge AnconaHuyen MacMichaelMulticulturalPreschoolers
What caregiver is a stranger to the push-pull that can arise around young kids and eating? Although the dynamic plays out differently in each relationship, more than a few of us are guilty of trying to cajole…
Tags: Female ProtagonistHealthy EatingHumorJennifer GannettKes GrayMothersNick SharrattPreschoolersVegetables
I read this lift a flap board book (a review copy from the publisher) to both my 1 year old and my 3 year old. My 1 year old was interested in pulling at the flaps which, sadly, are a structural weak point in a book…
Tags: AnimalsBaby BookBirdsCowsGood for ToddlersHoma WoodrumLoveOwlsSandra Magsamen
Popular culture and movies abound with depictions of Doctor Dolittle, the man who could talk to the animals. The original series spanned several novels, of which The Story of Doctor Dolittle is the first. It’s a…
Tags: 1920s Children's LiteratureAfricaAnimals in CaptivityCommunicationCrocodilesDoctor DolittleDogsEarly ElementaryHugh LoftingMonkeysOlder ElementaryParrotsWild AnimalsWildlife
Dark subject matter and equally dark drawings comprise Gowanus Dogs, the story of a family of homeless dogs and the homeless man who changes their lives and whose life is in turn changed through knowing them. Though…
Tags: Animal SheltersBrooklynEarly ElementaryHomeless AnimalsHomelessnessJennifer GannettJonathan FrostKindness to AnimalsNew York City
Thurman is an environmentally conscious turtle, spurred to action when his sister’s wedding is trashed by litter. He has no idea how to make a difference but heads down the river to get the humans “to put a stop” to…
Tags: Artie KnappEarly ElementaryEco-Friendly Kids BooksEnvironmentPreschoolersRecyclingTurtles
The Usborne Cooking School released Vegetarian Cooking for Beginners in 2003. Geared toward the tween+ crowd, it covers some of the basics involved in food preparation, from slicing to grating. It also briefly…
Tags: Carolyn M. MullinCookbooks for KidsFiona WattOlder ElementaryVegetablesVegetarian CookbooksVegetarian Cooking
Betty and Billy and their parents rescue Walter from a shelter. He stinks and no one else wants him. They soon learn that he has a stink that doesn’t wash out – he’s a chronic farter. No matter what he eats, no…
Tags: Animal RescueAnimal SheltersDogsEarly ElementaryHumorJennifer KaliPreschoolersWilliam Kotzwinkle
This charming book has beautiful paintings and a lovely message for all ages. It follows the journey of a red apple from a tree to being picked, driven to market, purchased, and enjoyed. (I will mention that the…
Tags: ApplesBeesBirdsDogsEarly ElementaryGratitudeGrowthHarriet ZiefertHoma WoodrumIllustrationKarla GudeonPreschoolersThankfulness
If you are looking for a pleasing picture book about the ins and outs of composting, Garbage Helps Our Garden Grow: A Compost Story is a great choice. This book is not long but it covers all of the basics of…
Tags: CompostingEarly ElementaryEco-Friendly Kids BooksEnvironmentGardenGardeningJennifer GannettLinda GlaserPreschoolers
My daughter experiences allergies to all of the top 8 allergens featured in The Bugabees: Friends with Food Allergies except for fish and shellfish (a little ironic considering we’ve never had either as a vegetarian…
Tags: Amy RecobEarly ElementaryFood AllergiesHoma WoodrumPreschoolers
Author and illustrator Monica Wellington’s Gabby and Grandma Go Green is a very sweet book for young children about, yes, going green. Little Gabby and her grandma spend the day together sewing reusable cloth bags,…
Tags: Depictions of Dairy in BooksEco-Friendly Kids BooksEnvironmentFemale ProtagonistGrandparentsJennifer GannettLibraryMonica WellingtonPreschoolersRecycling