Vegetarian Journal Excerpts May/June 1997 Volume XVI, Number 3

Young People's Books with Vegetarian or

Animal Rights Themes

By Renee Wheeler

Cherry, Lynne. The Great Kapok Tree. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Press--Picture book about the importance of the rain forest. All ages.

Crist, Vonnie Winslow, and Debra Wasserman. Leprechaun Cake and Other Tales. Vegetarian Resource Group--Stories about vegetarian children, recipes included. Ages 8 and up.

Ehlert, Lois. Eating the Alphabet. Harcourt Brace and Company--Fruits and veggies of the alphabet. Ages 1-5.

Fine, Anne. The Chicken Gave It to Me. Little, Brown and Company--Story about how chickens are treated. Ages 4 and up.

Florian, Douglas. Beast Feast. Harcourt Brace and Company--Poetry about animals. Ages 2 and up.

Fontes, Ron, and Justine Korman. Babe--A Little Pig Goes a Long Way, Movie Story. Random House--Story of a pig who exceeds others' expectations, with animals commenting on humans eating animals. Ages 4 and up.

Haley, Gail E. Noah's Ark. Atheneum--Modern day Noah is appalled by animals' treatment in society, so he gathers 2 by 2 to teach a lesson. No biblical references other than similarity to bible story. Ages 2 and up.

Horn, Tryntje. Nana's Adoption Farm. Hoof Print Publishing--Life of a woman who tends a sanctuary. Ages 4 and up.

Houk, Randy. Hope. The Benefactory--Story of how one pig came to Farm Sanctuary. Ages 2-6.

Hurwitz, Johanna. Much Ado About Aldo, Aldo Applesauce, Aldo Ice Cream. Puffin Books--Life of a young boy, his becoming vegetarian, and his compassionate deeds. Ages 4 and up.

Jeschke, Susan. Perfect the Pig. Scholastic--A story of compassion and cruelty to a flying pig. Ages 4 and up.

Kalechofsky, Roberta. A Boy, A Chicken and The Lion of Judah. Micah Publishing-- Story of how a Jewish boy becomes a vegetarian. Ages 8 and up.

King-Smith, Dick. Martin's Mice. Crown Publishers--A story of a compassionate cat who first keeps and then protects mice. Ages 4 and up.

Kotzwinkle, William. Doctor Rat. Avon Books--Graphic detail of a laboratory rat's life. Very disturbing. Ages 13 and up.

Krizmanic, Judy. Teen's Guide to Going Vegetarian. Puffin Books--Information on what vegetarianism is and appropriate foods, written for teens. Ages 10 and up.

Lavie, Arlette. Who Cares About Animal Rights? Childs Play, International-- Graphic illustrations about animal abuse from food to cosmetic testing, hunting to clothing. Asks questions for children to answer themselves. Ages 6 and up.

Masson, Jeffery Moussaieff. When Elephants Weep, The Emotional Lives of Animals. Delacorte Press--Outstanding examples of compassion between animals. Ages 15 and up.

Modesitt, Jeanne, and Robin Spowart. Vegetable Soup. Aladdin Books

McNulty, Faith. The Lady and the Spider. Compassion and a spider. Ages 4 and up.

Newkirk, Ingrid. Save the Animals! 101 Easy Things You CanDo. Warner Books-- Activist ideas for compassionate children. Ages 6 and up.

Oakley, Graham. Hetty and Harriet. Atheneum--Two free-range chickens discover the horrors of factory farming. Gently told. Ages 2 and up.

Oxenbury, Helen. Farmer Duck. Candlewick Press--Animals revolt against the lazy farmer who makes their friend the duck do all the work. Ages 1 and up.

Peet, Bill. Gnats of Knotty Pine. Gnats of the wood save the animals by terrifying hunters. In typical Bill Peet style with rhyme. A family favorite. Ages 2 and up.

Pelham, David. A Is for Animals. Simon & Schuster--A pop-up picture book with animals of the alphabet. Ages 1-5.

Pilkey, David. 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving. Orchard Books--Children on a trip to a turkey farm save the turkeys destined for Thanksgiving dinner. In rhyme. A holiday tradition for us. Ages 1 and up.

Quinn, Daniel. Ishmael. Bantam Books--Man's view of himself and his mistakes through the eyes of a captive gorilla. Ages 15 and up.

Salten, Felix. Bambi--A Life in the Woods. Simon and Schuster--Life from the forest animals' point of view. The original before the Disney adaptation, and much more beautiful. Ages 4 and up.

Vignola, Radha. Victor's Picnic with the Vegetarian Animals and Victor the Vegetarian. Aviva--A boy saves his lambs and becomes a vegetarian in the process. Ages 2 and up.

Weeks, Sarah. Crocodile Smile (book and tape). Laura Geringer Books--Songs from the animals' point of view. "I Am Not a Hat" is our favorite. All ages.

Weil, Zoe. So, You Love Animals. American Anti-Vivisection Society--Guide to compassion for older children in "lesson" form. Ages 6 and up.

Weisbrot, Judith. Koko Meets Camille, Koko Is Lost, and Koko at Home. Barndoor Publishing--Homeless Koko gets a new home, and other adventures. Ages 1-8.

Wildsmith, Brian. Hunter and His Dog. Oxford Press--A hunter learns compassion with the help of his dog. One of our favorites. Ages 1 and up.

Wildsmith, Brian. If I Were You. Oxford Press--A child going to the zoo realizes the animals would rather be free. Ages 1-8.