74 Vegbooks reviews by Homa Woodrum.
I was so excited to hear that Alexander McCall Smith had written mystery chapter book for younger readers featuring a young Precious Ramotswe of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. My daughter and I got through The…
Tags: AfricaAlexander McCall SmithBotswanaChapter BooksEarly ElementaryHoma WoodrumIain McIntoshMonkeysMysteryPreschoolers
We’ve been really enjoying our review copy of Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart. Full of lovely illustrations by Michael Emberly, the poems are organized into eleven categories and are all selected by former…
Tags: Early ElementaryElephantsHoma WoodrumMary Ann HobermanMichael EmberlyPoetryPoetsPreschoolers
A little boy imagines what would happen If All the Animals Came Inside, and it pretty much spells disaster from the get-go in this book by Eric Pinder and illustrated by Marc Brown. I received a review copy of this…
Tags: ElephantsEric PinderGood for ToddlersHoma WoodrumIllustrationMarc BrownPreschoolersWild AnimalsWildlife
Something from Nothing, written and illustrated by Phoebe Gilman, has been a long-time favorite of mine. My younger sister received this book as a gift when it first came out twenty years ago and my fond memories…
Tags: 1990s BooksEarly ElementaryEco-Friendly Kids BooksGrandparentsHoma WoodrumIllustrationJewish CultureMicePhoebe GilmanPreschoolers
Molly’s Organic Farm is written by Carol L. Malnor and Trina L. Hunner, and realistically illustrated by Trina L. Hunner. I received the book from Dawn Publications as a review copy and, much like their other…
Tags: Carol L. MalnorCatsCompanion AnimalsEarly ElementaryGardenGardeningHoma WoodrumHomeless AnimalsInsectsOrganicPreschoolersSeasonsTrina L. HunnerVegetables
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate Di Camillo (of The Tale of Despereaux fame) and illustrated by Chris Van Dusen is the first of what is currently a six book series centered around the exuberant pig Mercy Watson.…
Tags: Chapter BooksChris Van DusenEarly ElementaryHoma WoodrumHumorIllustrationInterspecies FriendshipKate Di CamilloPigsPreschoolersRead AloudSeriesUnconditional Love
Much like Jo MacDonald Had a Garden and generously provided in review form from the same publisher, Over in the Forest: Come and Take a Peek is patterned after a well known childhood song, “Over in the Meadow.”…
Tags: Animal FamiliesAnimal TracksBeaversCountingDeerFoxesHoma WoodrumJill DubinMarianne BerkesMothersOpossumsRaccoonsSkunksSquirrelsTurkeysTurtlesWildlifeWoodpeckers
If you’ve read Huyen’s glowing review of Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond,my take on a publisher’s review copy of the companion Jo MacDonald Had a Garden will come as no surprise. We really enjoyed this book! In fact, my…
Tags: Female ProtagonistGardenGardeningGood for ToddlersHoma WoodrumLaura J. BryantLifecycleMary QuattlebaumNatureNature BooksPreschoolersSeasonsSpring
How to Take Your Grandmother to the Museum is written by Lois Wyse and Molly Rose Goldman and illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay (the illustrator of the lovely Houndsley and Catina series previously reviewed on…
Tags: BugsDinosaursEarly ElementaryFemale ProtagonistGrandparentsHoma WoodrumLois WyseMarie-Louise GayMolly Rose GoldmanNatural HistorySpaceWildlife
I checked out this book based on Jessica’s suggestion as it was just featured as a 2012 Sydney Taylor Honor Book for Younger Readers. As is apparent from the title, Naamah and the Ark at Night, by Susan Campbell…
Tags: ALSC Notable Childrens BookAnimalsEarly ElementaryFemale ProtagonistHolly MeadeHoma WoodrumJewish CultureNighttimeNoah's ArkPreschoolersSusan Campbell BartolettiSydney Taylor Honor Book for Younger Readers
Billie the Unicorn by Brianne Brouhard is a vividly illustrated story set in what we learn is a world where unicorns grow plants and flowers. Billie is a little blue unicorn who seems to continually long for…
Tags: Animals in CaptivityBrianne BrouhardEarly ElementaryFemale ProtagonistGardenGardeningHoma WoodrumIllustrationUnicorn
Lavishly illustrated, All Kinds of Kisses by Caldecott Medalist Nancy Tafuri is a big and bright book that follows animal parents kissing their babies. The unifying narrative that is noteworthy for veg parents,…
Tags: Animal FamiliesAnimalsBaby BookChickensFarmFarmed AnimalsFarmingGood for ToddlersHoma WoodrumIllustrationMother's DayMothersNancy TafuriPigsPreschoolersSheep
We are Eric Carle fans so I love discovering new (to us) books with his illustrations. Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? is a great book with a veg and family friendly theme (and a wonderful companion to Mister…
Tags: BearsDolphinsElephantsEric CarleFoxesGiraffesHoma WoodrumKangaroosLionsMonkeysMother's DayMothersPenguinsSheepSwans
This book tells the story of a real life dog named Fred who goes from a non-veg home to a vegan one when his caretaker, Gertie, becomes too ill to care for him. A large portion of the story sets up how Fred prefers…
Tags: AgingCompanion AnimalsDeathDogsFoodFood ChoicesHealthy ChoicesHealthy EatingHealthy LivingHoma WoodrumIllnessPaula WeinerPeasTiffany WhitfieldveganVegan Childrens Booksvegan kidsVegetables
I am so torn about this book! The artwork is spot on and just fits (you can see it in the book’s trailer). The dialogue follows a trend I first noticed and liked in the Elephant and Piggie books where a font color…
Tags: ALSC Notable Childrens BookBearsEarly ElementaryGeisel Honor BookHoma WoodrumHumorJon KlassenNew York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2011
We are big Eric Carle fans but it was not until recently that we got a copy of Mister Seahorse in board book form. It follows Mister Seahorse through the ocean as he cares for his and Mrs. Seahorse’s eggs. On his way…
Tags: Early ElementaryEric CarleFather's DayFathersFishHoma WoodrumOceansPreschoolersSeahorses
In the evenings when we sit outside, we see bats swooping through the air. My daughter happily points out that they are “Stellalunas!” Granted, Stellaluna is about a fruit bat and we don’t have them here in Southern…
Tags: BatsEarly ElementaryFriendshipHalloweenHoma WoodrumIllustrationInterspecies FriendshipJanell CannonPreschoolers
The angle that brought this book to us at Vegbooks (a free review copy) is that the protagonist in the story is vegan and a vegan vampire also is featured, so I will focus on those aspects as well as the claim that…
Tags: Blair RichmondFemale ProtagonistHoma WoodrumOlder ElementaryPortrayal of Vegetarians in BooksVampiresveganvegan teensYoung Adult
I met Andy Runton, the author of the Owly books, at the San Diego Comic Convention in 2005. I had never heard of his books but they had an adorable owl on the cover so I couldn’t resist. They are largely wordless…
Tags: Andy RuntonBest Books for Vegetarian KidsComic BooksEarly ElementaryGraphic NovelsHoma WoodrumOwlsPortrayal of Vegetarians in BooksPreschoolersVegetarian Kids BooksWordless Books
On vacation recently, I stopped into an independent bookshop that exclusively catered to children’s books and let them know I was looking for charming chapter books. Moments later I had a number of books to choose…
Tags: Books for Vegetarian KidsCatsChapter BooksCompanion AnimalsDepiction of Vegetarian Food in BooksDogsEarly ElementaryFriendshipHoma WoodrumJames HoweMarie-Louise GayPreschoolersVegetarian Characters
This is one of those books that I knew I had to review for Vegbooks just to share it with others. It is one of the first nonfiction books to truly capture my daughter’s attention right away and keep it. The…
Tags: AstronautsBrian FlocaDepictions of Meat in BooksEarly ElementaryHoma WoodrumIllustrationMoon LandingNonfictionPreschoolersSpace
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 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
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