V Is for Vegan

June 24, 2013
Roth, the creator of That’s Why We Don’t Eat Animals and Vegan Is Love, shares the ABCs of veganism, approaching the topic with enthusiasm and humor. Roth uses a loose, sketchy style of art that goes a long way toward making this outing friendlier and less potentially upsetting than her earlier work. Rather than shame readers, she emphasizes the absurdity of eating animal products (“D is for dairy./ Moo! Milk is for cows./ E is for eggs—/ from a chicken’s butt?! Wow”). Multiple grains, legumes, and oils are identified on the G, L, and O spreads, and Roth also references the value of adopting animals, avoiding animal tested-products, and following the golden rule. Ages 3–7.

October 1, 2013

PreS-This rhyming alphabet book presents the whys and hows of veganism for young children. The text makes clear what vegans consume (legumes, vegetables, fruit, grains, nuts, and seeds) and what they would avoid: "A is for animals-/friends not food./We don't eat our friends, /they'd find it quite rude." The message goes far beyond food by including information about capturing insects, clothing choices, zoos, cooking, shelters vs. pet stores, animal testing, recycling and reusing, and gardening. A lot of information is packed into this little picture book, giving families a good jumping-off point for discussions about food, animal welfare, and the environment. The cartoon illustrations are lighthearted and full of smiling people and animals, though the most telling is sure to be the image of the young boy about to bite into a calm, but clearly perplexed, live chicken. This beast-, fowl-, and insect-friendly title will be useful as an overview for young vegans and young friends of vegans. Find a place for it.-Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library, MN

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2014
Aimed at a younger audience than Roth's previous titles (That's Why We Don't Eat Animals; Vegan Is Love), this singsongy abecedarian will likely confuse rather than educate readers. Some vegan foods and animal rights issues are represented; other entries are only tangentially related to veganism. A few verses are supplemented by scant explanations ("P is for protein. Protein helps our muscles grow!").

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)