Every review published by Vegbooks from 2009 through 2021.
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
I absolutely love this book, and so does my daughter. It’s told from the perspective of a firefly that is captured by a little girl. The girl wants to keep the firefly in a jar by her bedside to serve as a nightlight…
Tags: Animals in CaptivityFirefliesGood for ToddlersInsectsJennifer KaliPreschoolersTwo-Mom Families
Buffalo Music, a fictionalized account the life of Mary Ann Goodnight, chronicles the deeply disturbing annihilation of the American buffalo from the perspective of the woman credited with helping save the species…
Tags: Animal ExploitationBuffaloEarly ElementaryHistoryJennifer GannettMary Ann GoodnightWildlife RehabilitationYellowstone
This colorful picture book by Judy Sierra and Jesse Sweetwater brings to life a folktale from Bali, in which a dancing pig saves twin girls from an ogress. Using bold illustrations and expressive language, The…
Tags: BaliEarly ElementaryFemale ProtagonistFrogsJesse SweetwaterJudy SierraMicePigsPreschoolers
Cruising our local library shelves, my eyes lit upon this ingeniously light-hearted variation of the nursery rhyme Mary had a Little Lamb. Of course my daughter and I took a shine to author Jack Lechner’s descriptive…
Tags: Bob StaakeChild DevelopmentEarly ElementaryHumorHuyen MacMichaelIllustrationJack LechnerPreschoolers
Urban wildlife has long fascinated many, and the story of Pale Male, the red-tailed hawk, and his mates, is no exception. In Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York City, we are treated to a thoughtful story about this…
Tags: Early ElementaryHawksJanet SchulmanJennifer GannettMeilo SoNew York CityPale MaleUrban WildlifeWild AnimalsWildlifeWildlife LawWildlife Rehabilitation
With special attention paid to the animals encountered during the travels of Robert Scott, Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, and Charles Darwin, author Sandra Markle not only created an award-winning book series, but…
Tags: BeetlesCarolyn M. MullinCharles DarwinEarly ElementaryEvolutionFlamingosHistoryHuman-Animal StudiesIllustrationNatural HistoryOlder ElementarySandra MarkleZina Saunders
A plucky little My First I Can Read! book that helped ease my daughter into reading. The repetition, simple storyline, and large font all make it early reader-friendly. Earl and Pearl are two kids who start growing…
Tags: AutumnChickensEarly ElementaryEarly ReadersHuyen MacMichaelJudy Ackerman GrantPreschoolersPumpkinsSue TruesdellSummerThanksgiving
A great introduction to Indian-American culture, this book tells the story of a mother and daughter in an Indian-American family, getting ready for the daughter’s seventh birthday. The mother, who wears a sari for…
Tags: DiwaliEarly ElementaryFemale ProtagonistIndian-American CultureJennifer KaliMothersPreschoolersSaris
Bear-ly Thereis a refreshing look at the now common conflict between wild animals and people (and property). This book has a wonderful message of accountability and respect for all different kinds of human and…
Tags: BearsConflictConflict ResolutionEarly ElementaryGeeseJennifer GannettLiving With WildlifePreschoolersRebekah RayeRespect for NatureRural LivingWild AnimalsWildlife
A Day with No Crayons is likely to inspire you to view the world differently — and I love any book that can do that. This charming picture book by Elizabeth Rusch and Chad Cameron follows budding artist Liza through…
Tags: ArtArtistsChad CameronCreativityDogsEarly ElementaryElizabeth RuschPreschoolers
At some point we all get lost, and, if we’re lucky, we have a canine companion to help see us through…and vice versa. In Jim LaMarche’s triad of tender stories that feature child-dog friendships, he weaves through…
Tags: Carolyn M. MullinCompanion AnimalsDiverse FamiliesDogsEarly ElementaryInterspecies FriendshipJim LaMarchePreschoolers
Kiddo and I love the humorous title of this chapter book by Christine McDonnell, and we now often refer to tofu (one of our favorite foods) as “toad food.” Vegetarian kids will get a kick out of how Leo Nolan, an…
Tags: Chapter BooksChristine McDonnellDepiction of Vegetarian Food in BooksDiane deGroatEarly ElementaryG. Brian KarasOlder ElementaryTofuVegetarian Characters
“I think [bicycling] has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…” I absolutely love this quote by Susan B. Anthony, but it…
Tags: BicyclesCarolyn M. MullinFeminismHistoryMarguerite GastOlder ElementaryParentsSue MacySusan B. AnthonyWomen's History
A little girl’s visit to the beach is masterfully told without a word (aside from the title). Using only charcoal lines and blue, white, and grey paint, Suzy Lee creates an expressive dialogue between the girl and…
Tags: Huyen MacMichael
June 21st ushered in summer, and nothing is more analogous to this season than spending time at the ocean. While kids explore tide pools and swim in the sandy-bottomed waters, they may start to wonder what lies…
Tags: CareersCarolyn M. MullinEarly ElementaryEric PuybaretIllustrationInventionJacques CousteauJennifer BerneOceanOceanographyPreschoolersScuba DivingSummerSwimming
I tend to oppose zoos and zoo literature for children. As much as zoos try to replicate the natural habitats of exotic animals, an image from a childhood visit to a zoo is indelibly marked in my mind: the eyes of a…
Tags: Animal WelfareBiographyBooksCaptive WildlifeChimpanzeesGeorge Ella LyonHelen MartiniTigersZoo
Year-long Forecast: 100% chance of love. Deborah Lee Rose writes a sweet story of cherishing children through each literal and metaphorical season of the year. She rains poetic descriptions of each season beginning…
Tags: Deborah Lee RoseEarly ElementaryHuyen MacMichaelKay ChoraoLoveParentingPreschoolersSeasonsWeather