V is for Vegan – and Virtuous

Myself, I’m not vegan, or even vegetarian. But for those who seek to be gentle to animals and the earth by way of a vegan lifestyle, this is a nice little starter book for sharing those ideals with children.

V Is For Vegan: The ABCs of Being Kind, by Ruby Roth

North Atlantic Books, ISBN: 978 1 58394 649 7

This ABC walks through things that vegans avoid (animals, dairy, eggs, and so on) as well as things that are good for them (grains, legumes, and the like), and assorted ways to be gentle to the world and the animals (rescuing shelter animals, reusing). It only occasionally sounds a touch preachy, mostly managing a nice light touch fitting for its younger audience. It is, after all, likely to be used only by families who are already interested in the idea of reducing their impact on the animal world this way.

As a picture book, it works fairly well, too. The rhymes are short, the points under each letter relevant, and only letter x doesn’t truly work – but so few x’s do, let’s be honest. Crucially, it is illustrated with charming, quirky pictures that keep it cute, and even humourous.

This is a nice little introduction to why a family might eat and live a little differently from other families they know, highlighting what they might consider ideal and keeping judgment fairly minimal, which is a good balance for a child to hear. Nicely done, and definitely a good resource for families who want to inform their children about this lifestyle, be it their own choice, or simply one of many options.