Kids, Compassion, and Ruby Roth on Why We Don't Eat Animals
Published May 19, 2009 @ 07:04AM PT
Last week was Children's Book Week. And though I meant to write this last week, as a timely post to coincide with that celebration, I forgot until Kelly of easyVegan.info posted on one of the very books I was going to post about (and, as it turns out, the only book I'm going to post about today beyond general discussion about kids, compassion, and books--because this post got crazy-long). I learned of Ruby Roth's That's Why We Don't Eat Animals about two months ago, via the same source as Kelly--Vegan Dad. And as someone who loves kids, books, and kids' books, and who knows the importance of the third for the first, I was immediately excited and enthralled.
The artwork, previews of which are available on the book's sites, is bright and enchanting, and from what I can tell without having yet seen the book (due for release in a week, with pre-order available at Amazon), the message is clear, simple, and compassionate. And I love that Roth apparently gives due attention to the fact that our fellow animals have families too, that emotional bonds are not unique to humans, and that alone would have excited me about this book. In addition to exploring the Web site, you really must watch the video about the book embedded at the end of this post. It's short--only 2 minutes long--but gives great insight (including images from the book) into why Roth wrote the book and what it's about. I obviously can't give a full-fledged review before having seen and read it firsthand, but I can say that we need books such as this.
I was that teen who babysat constantly and who loved the kids she cared for fiercely. I've been a live-in nanny, and I worked at a day care half-time and full-time for a few years during college, in what turned out to be perhaps the most fulfilling job I've ever had. I'd done all the coursework and practicum but student teaching when I decided to stick with my English degree but not pursue teaching. I've at times considered becoming a children's librarian, given how much I love children, how much I love books, and how enormous and magical a role books played in my own childhood. All this is to say, I may not have kids, but I know kids (and books). And I'm excited to see this book, for vegan and vegetarian parents and caregivers looking for ways to help their kids understand these issues and for kids who I hope will come across it in libraries, as a gift, or at a friend's house.
Toddlers and young children are so open to the world and its inhabitants, so full of affection and wonder, and so free of judgment except for what judgments the adults in their lives teach them. Children aren't born racist or homophobic or even dismissive of animals. They have the capacity for great love for all around them, from other children to all kinds of animals to a grove of tall trees. And the books that are read to them and that they read themselves have incredible potential for opening and widening their minds, hearts, and imagination, for impacting them for years to come. But in the area of animals, books like Roth's are rare. And so terribly often, we actually lie to kids, and we teach them to abandon compassion as childish, to embrace prejudices and judgment, and to conform themselves to what adults believe--and who adults think children should be--without giving them the opportunity to make their own choices, even when they want to. (More on this in another post soon.)
There are omnivorous parents and (and non-parents) who will decry exposing children to a book that teaches them about what happens to animals at human hands and that portrays veganism so positively. They will insist that it is inappropriate to "indoctrinate" children, to push our "views" on children. And to them I say, how ridiculous. First, indoctrination is already happening; the pushing of views is already happening: Raising kids to not think about where the food on their plate really came from and to ignore or dismiss what happens to animals is already happening. Lying to kids (and ourselves and our fellow adults) is already happening. Raising kids to think of dogs and cats as friends while thinking of--and cruelly treating--equally intelligent, complex, and emotional cows, pigs, chickens, and other animals as unthinking meat, dairy, and egg machines is already happening.
A book like Ruby Roth's isn't about opinion or propaganda or politics--it's about truth. And it's about respecting children enough to tell them the truth and let them make up their own minds. That's all it is--telling kids and their parents and caregivers the realities about the far-reaching and painful implications of what we call "food" and exposing them to compassionate alternatives. And--again, from all that I know--it's not a violent book or a graphic or traumatizing one; it is an honest but peaceful book about compassion. And those who may be uncomfortable with their children knowing those truths and being exposed to that compassion need to stop, look inside themselves, and ask why--and perhaps make a diet and lifestyle change themselves.
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Comments (10)
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Author
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Stephanie is an independent animal rights advocate, a vegan, a tree-hugging environmentalist, and a freelance editor and writer. She lives in St. Louis with an aging corgi-lab and an adolescent rescued pit bull.
Ruby Roth's art is really quite beautiful - I'd buy this book just for the pictures!
For those readers who don't have any kiddos in their lives, might I suggest contacting your local library and imploring the staff to order a few copies? If your library is active online, you might even be able to find a form for doing so on its website.
Posted by Kelly Garbato on 05/19/2009 @ 09:34AM PT
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Wow... great video...
Posted by Renata Ventura on 05/19/2009 @ 12:12PM PT
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For those of you who live in the NYC area, Ruby will be doing a reading and book signing at East West Books on Friday, May 29 at 6:30pm. Bring your kids!
Posted by Talia Shapiro on 05/19/2009 @ 01:15PM PT
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Well said, Stepwrong, they should be teaching us the opposite. I congradulate Ruby hanie. Instead of adults teachingkids that compassion is Roth and her amazing work. In a world like this, where children are raised to think like their parents, this is a book we really need in every kid's life. I live in redneck country right now, and I am disgusted that every kid that was born in the state was raised to think that the greatest things in the world are hunting and fishing, and not only are these children raised to believe dis-compassion is okay, but they have been treated dis-compassionally as well in 9 out of 10 cases.
Posted by Michelle Papaycik on 05/19/2009 @ 01:25PM PT
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That was typed the wrong way. I meant to say:
Well said, Stephanie, instead of adults teaching kids that compassion is wrong, they should be teaching us the opposite. I congradulate Ruby Roth and her amazing work. In a world like this, where children are raised to think like their parents, this is a book we really need in every kid's life. I live in redneck country right now, and I am disgusted that every kid that was born in the state was raised to think that the greatest things in the world are hunting and fishing, and not only are these children raised to believe dis-compassion is okay, but they have been treated dis-compassionally as well in 9 out of 10 cases.
Posted by Michelle Papaycik on 05/19/2009 @ 01:28PM PT
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Absolutely beautiful artwork I would showcase anywhere...can't wait for the book to come out!
Posted by Kristen Magno on 05/19/2009 @ 01:30PM PT
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I plan to buy this book for my daughter.. I have sooo many young cousins maybe i will buy a few extras and pass them out on B-days.. lol Im sure my aunts wont like that too much...
Posted by amanda goodwin on 05/19/2009 @ 02:05PM PT
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Thanks for this review Stephanie! I babysit a lot and I am always afraid of angering parents by sharing too much of the truth with their kids. But your words are encouraging me to be stronger and show kids what they ought to know. I can't wait to get this book and share it with all the kids in my life!! It's going to be so nice to have this book to pull out every time a child asks me why I'm a vegan!
Posted by Michelle Taylor on 05/19/2009 @ 05:02PM PT
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Thank you, Stef. I just placed my pre-order. This will make a valuable resource for the children's component of the Abolitionist Vegan multi-media presentations I'm planning to produce.
Posted by Jeffrey A. on 05/19/2009 @ 10:20PM PT
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That is so adorable. I love the artwork, and the kids. Linked this on Facebook.
Posted by Luella - on 05/20/2009 @ 11:49AM PT
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