Steven the Vegan

With my son home from school this week for spring break it's my job to keep boredom at bay for both kids. We've done crafts and practice sheets for his 3rd grade ELA testing at school in a few weeks, but nothing is better than cuddling up with both of them and reading a good book. Especially when the changing season has caused a cold to run through the house.

With my daughter being young and still learning about being nice to all animals I searched all over the internet for a book that would be appropriate for her and my son. I was very happy when I found Steven the Vegan by Dan Bodenstein and illustrated by Ron Robrahn. It's a great little story about a young boy who goes on a school field trip to a farm sanctuary and tells his classmates that he is a vegan and explains to them what that means. Steven goes through the farm and shows his friends exactly where the meat and milk that they love so much actually comes from. He even debunks the myth that you need to eat meat to grow up big and strong.  By the end of the book all of his friends are so moved by what Steven told them that they decide they will not eat animals any more because "animals are our friends, not food"

This book is really great for younger kids age 3 to 10. My son loved it but my 2 year old got a little restless toward the end of it because for her it was a bit long. She did love the very bright and colorful pictures of all the animals and for her age group, showing how cute and cuddly the farm animals are helps when driving home the idea that we don't eat our friends.

I would recommend that anyone who is vegan and has small children get this book and read it to them. It really is a great way to answer questions that your child may have as they get older and starts to experience criticism from classmates and non-vegan friends. It's a gentle and friendly way to explain where meat comes from without scaring or traumatizing children with real life images of what goes on behind closed doors at slaughterhouse and on factory farms.

The book can be purchased on Amazon