134 Vegbooks reviews published in 2012.
Pigmares: Porcine Poems of the Silver Screen, written and illustrated by Doug Cushman, is the perfect blend of silly and classic horror. With characters like Pigzilla, Pig Kong, and even Dr. Hogwell and Mr. Pigg,…
Tags: Doug CushmanEarly ElementaryHalloweenKristin WaldOlder ElementaryPigsRhymeRhyming BooksSilly Books
In America today, families typically live apart (often thousands of miles!) from their parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents; gone are the days when generations lived together under the same roof, and grandparents…
Tags: Maggie MeadeParentingParentsRobyn MooreVegetarian Baby Food
Hey Vegbooks friends & fans, we’re hosting a board book giveaway. We’ll soon be reviewing the bright, beautiful board books you see pictured — I Say, You Say Animal Soundsand Opposites!— but in the meanwhile, three…
When you first hear that “The Secret World of Arrietty,” is a hand-drawn Japanese film based on an English novel (The Borrowers) dubbed by American actors, you may wonder about its authenticity. Just go with it, I…
Tags: Animated MoviesEarly ElementaryEnglandJapanKindnessOlder Elementary
I’ve reviewed at least one other title from my good friend Marc Bekoff, the internationally renowned animal ethologist. This one is just as tender and sweet. Kids & Animals (download a free version here) is an…
Tags: AnimalsCarolyn M. MullinColoringCompassionE-BooksLife-AffirmingMarc BekoffPeace
I learned a lot about orcas and their families reading my review copy of Granny’s Clan and was excited to discover that the characters in the story are actually real wild orcas in the Pacific Northwest. A children’s…
Tags: Animal FamiliesAnn JonesDr. Sally HodsonGrandparentsHoma WoodrumMarine AnimalsMarine MammalsNonfictionOrcas
At first blush, a whodunnit about a mysterious death in FunJungle, a glitzy animal theme park, might not be considered a great choice for aware veg kids and their families or friends. However, Stuart Gibbs’s Belly…
Tags: Animal LiberationAnimals in CaptivityCaptive WildlifeChapter BooksHippopotamusJennifer GannettOlder ElementaryStuart GibbsWild Animals in CaptivityWildlife
Vegbooks favorite, author Marianne Berkes, presents the concept of animal migration in the multi-tiered way I’ve come to enjoy in her books (Over in the Forest and Over in the Jungle). For younger readers the book is…
Tags: AnimalsArctic TernsCanada GeeseE-BooksFishHoma WoodrumIllustrationJennifer DiRubbioManateesMarianne BerkesMarine MammalsMigrationNatureNature Booksnature books for kidsPenguinsTurtlesWhalesWildlifeWildlife Books for Kids
Fans of chickens and commentator/ author Daniel Pinkwater may be familiar with The Hoboken Chicken Emergency(Amazon affiliate link), first published in 1977. Unsurprisingly, some of the material is dated but the…
Tags: 1970s Children's BooksAnimals as FoodChickensDaniel PinkwaterHobokenJennifer GannettJill PinkwaterNew JerseyOlder Elementary
We had so much fun reading through a review copy of Presidential Pets by Julie Moberg. Initially, because of the caricaturish drawing style, I didn’t think my kids would like it; they are much more into more…
Tags: Abraham LincolnCompanion AnimalsDogsIllustrationJeff Albrecht StudiosJulie MobergKristin WaldOlder ElementaryPresidentPresident TaylorWashington D.C.White House
Hayes Roberts’ ironic tone intrigues both children and adults. In The Wiener Dog Magnet, he pokes fun at what can be a parent’s nightmare – when a child wants a pet. In this case, Kiki Marie, the main character, uses…
Tags: DachshundsDogsE-BooksFemale ProtagonistHayes RobertsJane Cowles
I am turning into Vegbooks’ resident reviewer for Dawn Publishing but so far I honestly can’t help loving all their offerings I’ve read. Over in the Jungle: A Rainforest Rhyme, is no exception. It follows the theme…
Tags: Animal FamiliesButterfliesCountingE-BooksFrogsGood for ToddlersHoma WoodrumIllustrationJeanette CanyonJungleMarianne BerkesMarmosetsMonkeysMothersOcelotsParrotsPicture BooksPreschoolersRainforestSlothsSnakes
You may have read about Christian, a well-known lion, or seen a video that went viral several years ago featuring him. Christian, the Hugging Lion, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell, is another telling about…
Tags: AfricaAfrican AnimalsEarly ElementaryJennifer GannettJustin RichardsonKenyaLionsPeter ParnellWild Animals in Captivity
Seashells by the Seashore by Marianne Berkes is an interactive guide to seashells which tells a delightful story about children combing the sandy shore for shells to give to Sue’s grandmother as a birthday present.…
Tags: BeachBiologyCountingE-BooksEarly ElementaryGrandparentsIllustrationJane CowlesMarianne BerkesNatureNature BooksRobert NoreikaSea LifeSeashells
hello I am Ivan. I am a gorilla. It’s not as easy as it looks. So begins the spare, beautiful tale of The One and Only Ivan, a novel about a gorilla kept in a shopping mall exhibit, next to animals forced to perform…
Tags: Animal AbuseAnimal Rescueanimal rightsAnimals in CaptivityBest Books for Vegetarian KidsBooks that Teach EmpathyCaptive WildlifeCircusEarly ElementaryElephantsEmpathyGorillasKatherine ApplegateOlder ElementaryPatricia CastelaoPet TradePrimatesWild Animals in CaptivityZoos
The tale of Chicken Run Rescue, a chickens-only rescue located in North Minneapolis, Minnesota, is the focus of the lovely, thoughtful book City Chickens, a copy of which I received from the publisher for review…
Tags: Animal AdoptionAnimal RescueAnimal SanctuariesChickensChristine HeppermannCockfightingEarly Elementaryfactory farmingJennifer GannettMinnesotaPhotographyPhotosSanctuaries
I had to say “of course” when offered a review copy of Bronto & the Pterodactyl Eggs because my son and daughter are big dinosaur fans. The watercolor and ink illustrations by Charlotte Vivian Rodenberg are sweet and…
Tags: ApatosaurusCharlotte Vivian RodenbergDinosaursEggsHoma WoodrumIllustrationPreschoolersPterodactylVegetarian CharactersVegetarian Protagonist
I am a lover of books, in particular the feel of the pages, so I was reluctant to peruse the world of e-books. But the title of Hayes Roberts’ e-book Invisible Alligators caught my eye and the first line captured my…
Tags: AlligatorsE-BooksHayes RobertsIllustrationJane CowlesPicture BooksPreschoolers
Hippopposites is a visually appealing board book which presents opposites in a non-traditional way. Every page and its match on the following page features an abstract image of a hippo that’s morphed into different…
Tags: Animals in CaptivityBaby BookBoard BookCaptive WildlifeGood for ToddlersHippopotamusIllustrationJanik CoatOppositesPreschoolersRobyn MooreWild Animals in CaptivityZoos
One Cool Friend by Toni Buzzeo (pictures by David Small) explores the quirky interests of a father and son in an accepting and playful way. Elliot is a little man with manners. Dressed in a tux, Elliot cannot be…
Tags: ActivitiesAnimals in CaptivityAquariumsCommunicationDavid SmallDifferencesEarly ElementaryFathersJane CowlesParentingParentsPenguinsToni BuzzeoWild Animals in Captivity
For those parents who want a good message regarding our relationship with animals, Harmony on the Farm makes a solid choice. The book follows Harmony, a young girl, who visits her grandparents’ farm. Only the farm is…
Tags: AnimalsAnimals as FoodBooks for Vegetarian KidsCompassionDepictions of Meat in BooksEarly ElementaryFarmed AnimalsFemale ProtagonistGrandparentsJacqueline BodnarJess YeomansMeatMeat-eatingPortrayal of Vegetarians in BooksPreschoolersSean R. SmithVegetarianVegetarian CharactersVegetarian ChildrenVegetarian Kids Books
Sometimes, with all the news articles and blog posts and television shows dealing with problems our kids have, we forget how to look at the issues from a child’s perspective. We forget that these “adult” problems are…
Tags: BullyingEarly ReadersHealthy ChoicesHealthy LivingKristin WaldPreschoolersStuart J. Murphy
Cody Greene and the Rainbow Mystery is unique – but in a good way! Throughout this book, there is a solid vegan-friendly message. Readers will also find that the lifestyle that resonates throughout the story line…
Tags: BreastfeedingChapter BooksEarly ElementaryFruitsHealthy ChoicesHealthy LivingJacqueline BodnarLinda FieldsMysteryOrganicveganVegetables
Recently, I discovered this gem on the shelves of my local library. A Meal of the Stars: Poems Up and Down by Dana Jensen is a uniquely delightful composition of poems. The words portray the size, shape, smell and…
Tags: Dana JensenEarly ElementaryJane CowlesNatureNature BooksOlder ElementaryPoetryTricia Tusa