That's Why We Don't Eat Animals: A Book About Vegans, Vegetarians, and All Living Things

(Hardback)

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Description

Targeted to early readers ages six to ten, Ruby Roth's nonfiction book presents a showcase of brilliant illustrations featuring animals both in their natural, fulfilling setting and then in cramped, factory-farm misery, to carry the clear, firm message of veganism's virtue. Pigs, turkeys, cows, and even quails, dolphins, and turtles take the stage to exhibit with unflinching candour the conditions animals face on factory farms. While the message is sobering and serious, animals are also shown in their natural state rooting around, bonding, nuzzling, cuddling, grooming one another, and generally charming each other with their family instincts and colourful rituals. "That's Why We Don't Eat Animals" makes the case sensitively for both vegetarianism and veganism with gorgeous artwork and a clear, firm stance about the needs of animals and the peril to the greater environment. A separate section entitled What Else Can We Do suggests ways children can learn more about the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, such as: 'Celebrate Thanksgiving with a vegan feast' or 'buy clothes, shoes, belts, and bags that are not made from leather or other animal skins or fur'. This compassionate, educational, and engaging work is a key resource for parents and children looking to learn more about veganism and vegetarianism.

Reviews

This is a powerful and important book. Farm animals have emotions similar to our pets and this is conveyed in Roth's enchanting illustrations. It will make childrenand their parentsthink. But it will not lead to nightmares, rather respect and compassion for the creatures whose wellbeing is in our hands.
Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace

A refreshing, sympathetic, and attractive book that children are smart enough to understand, embrace and grow up a little by reading.
Ingrid Newkirk, founder, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

Ruby Roth has done us all a great service. If your children are vegetarians, or have friends who are, or are simply interested in why people might be vegetarians, this is the book for them!
John Robbins, bestselling author of The Food Revolution, Diet For A New America

Where adults are more firmly entrenched in their ways, children need only the slightest insights and guidance, and off they soar into the direction of a more conscious and kind way of living. This book will help to create the much needed healers and leaders of tomorrow.
Kathy Freston, NY Times bestselling author of Quantum Wellness

Like many people, I knew as a child that I didn't want to eat animals. That's Why We Don't Eat Animals would have offered me the guidance and inspiration I needed to understand those instincts. This book is a must-have for anyone who loves animals.
Alicia Silverstone, actress, animal-rights activist

In a time when we are all working to go green, I am thrilled that That's Why We Don't Eat Animals makes the connection between food and the environment, inspiring children to be aware and involved.
Ed Begley, actor, activist

Stunning artwork, meaningful content, and a message that will inspire-this book is a must-read for every child.
Rory Freedman, NY Times bestselling author of Skinny Bitch

Roth beautifully illustrates why we all love animals when we get the chance to experience their families and personalities. That's Why We Don't Eat Animals is a book I recommend to all parents and children.
David Wolfe, author of The Sunfood Diet Success System, founder of SunFood

This book captures the imagination with its illustrations that subtly helps children understand the ancient teachings that animals have souls. Animals are our friends and we do not eat our friends. In this understanding it helps us create a more compassionate world.
Gabriel Cousens, M.D. author of Conscious Eating, and Spiritual Nutrition

"Declaring that 'All animals deserve the care and protection we give our pets,' newcomer Roth takes the vegetarian/vegan cause to young readers. Highly stylized illustrations against white backdrops depict angular caricatures of farm animals. Concluding with a list of tips for action around vegetarian/vegan ideals, this book is sure to raise awareness and questions."
Publishers Weekly

"A courageous stab at a serious topic inherently hinted at through the anthropomorphizing of animals so prevalent in childrens books. By contrasting animal behavior in the wild with that of their counterparts in farms or factories, Roth makes a stark case that by harvesting sentient beings we are stripping them of their rights and natural desires. Inevitably this will book incense those on the other side of the issue but there is much to be learned here (about animal behavior if nothing else). A unique effort that is to be applauded."
Booklist

"This book successfully tackles the tough subject [of veganism] with grace and clarity. This is a great addition to any compassionate kids library and will make a wonderful gift for any parents in your life who want to talk to their kids about animals but need a little help getting started."
PETA Living

Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals succeeds in raising awareness about where our food comes from and how our food choices affect other creatures and the environment. Roth touches on the conditions animals raised on factory farms endurebut she doesnt get overly graphicThats Why We Dont Eat Animals nicely connected the dots between how humans treat animals and the impact our species has on the planet as a whole, with the basic premise being that a more enlightened attitude toward our food sources (of course, ideally that would mean becoming vegetarian) translates into a healthier planet.
Wired

"Turkeys dance and grieve together; they blush and fly to the treetops when the moon comes out. In factory farms they have no freedom and are made too fat to fly."
Kirkus

The artwork is bright and enchanting...the message is clear, simple, and compassionate.
Change.org

If each parent read this book to their child, Im certain more children would consider becoming vegetarian.
Vegetarian Journal

That's Why We Don't Eat Animals is an elegantly written, beautifully illustrated children's book about the rationale for vegetarianism. [Roth] uses heartfelt, emotionally resonant language and art design to contrast the life lived by animals in the wild with the existence of animals in the factory farming system. This is a children's book with large ambitions...If the coming generations are going to strive for a more sustainable approach to filling their dining room tables, That's Why We Don't Eat Animals should certainly be in their bookcases.
L.A. Yoga

You can never be too young to join the fight against cruelty, and Roth's book looks like a great tool to help teach the younger generation about what's happening on factory farms.
This Just In, VegNews blog

An American teacher, writer and artist, Roth has come up with an innovative and somewhat controversial solution for helping children foster compassion towards animals-tell them the truth. That's Why We Don't Eat Animals: A Book About Vegans, Vegetarians, and All Living Things is the first book of its kind targeted toward young people. A candid, but gentle book that discusses what are normally considered taboo subjects for children, such as factory farming, battery hen cages, overfishing, habitat erosion, rainforest health and endangered species in relation to food.
Green Muze

The illustrations are fantastic, and the message is spot on.
Vegan Dad blog

"The text does a fine job of explaining this potentially emotional issue without being too fraught with horrifying detail. Ruby Roth is a talented illustrator and author who has written a gently informative children's book that will be indispensable to thoughtful families everywhere. I am so grateful to her for making that inevitable talk a little bit easier."
Your Vegan Mom

Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals makes the case for both vegetarianism and veganism with gorgeous artwork and a clear, firm stance about the needs of animals and the peril to the greater environment.
Vegan Future blog

[That's Why We Don't Eat Animals] makes a sound, green argument for reducing animal consumption as well as eliminating factory farms. It offers another perspective that is missing from children's sections in libraries. It is a pleasure to find such a well-done book on the subject
Kids Lit blog

Though this book tackles a difficult subject for younger children, it does so well. This is a good book for vegetarian families or parents who are raising their kids veggie and want a way to explain it to them. Without getting too graphic (animals in confined cages are as dark as it gets), it explores basic issues of factory farming and discusses its effects on the environment. Roth is able to get her point across without becoming too preachy or delving into topics that aren't age-appropriate.
The Kids' Book Corner blog

Wonderfully illustrated and inspiring for children of all ages, author Ruby Roth has tackled the complex moral and ethical issue of choosing to be a vegetarian, distilling it into a compassionate and informative snapshot of the emotional lives of animals in their natural state. That's Why We Don't Eat Animals is a timely reminder to look inside our hearts and reconsider the choices we make-and their impact on our fellow creatures and the well-being of the planet.
New Consciousness Review

For any parent looking for a childrens book to introduce some arguments on choosing the vegetarian lifestyle, Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals is a great start.
Vegetarian Star

[Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals] was not grotesque or militant in any way just straightforward about the reality of eating animals and what that means for the animals and the planetThumbs up to Ruby Roth, Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals rocks!
Nature Moms

Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals is quickly becoming a must-have book!
Ecorazzi

Each animal on a farm is contrasted with the animal in its natural, social habitat through entertaining drawingsResearch for the book was collected from zoologists, animal behaviorists, neuropsychiatrists, pet therapy programs, oceanographers, farmers and animal sanctuaries
The Washington Times

It is good to finally have a book that portrays the philosophy of veganism as a reasoned, principled belief and not as a fickle food choice.
New Age Journal

The text confronts kids head-on with questions that will get them thinking
HeebnVegan

[Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals] is heirloom quality and destined to be read over and over again.
Green Baby NYC

This beautifully illustrated book explains simply and gently why so many families have decided to leave meat off the menuThe pages are filled with gorgeous color, top notch drawings, and a vast array of unforgettable critters. Any child being raised in a vegetarian home will be able to comfortably understand why their family isnt lined up at the McDonalds drive thru or serving turkey come Thanksgiving.
dkMommySpot

[Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals is] the first book geared to children to address the humanitarian aspects of a plant-based diet.
Huffington Post

[Ruby Roths] stunning artwork mesmerizes readers this book is sure to be a wonderful conversation starter between children and their adult counterparts for many story times to come.
VegBooks

Get this book! Ruby Roth's That's Why We Don't Eat Animals is quickly gaining acclaim and recognition a welcome addition to the vegetarian and vegan landscape.
LifeTips.com

The book illustrates in a gentle yet powerful way, the reasons why some Earthlings choose not to eat meat. It is a beautiful book about compassion.
Mother Rising

The graphics are amazing this book is not only a great tool for teaching your kids why they are vegetarian or vegan but also to teach adults and others why it is important not to eat meat.
Cooking for a Vegan Lover

If you are planning on raising a vegetarian child who will be well-prepared to explain his or her beliefs to inquiring peers, teachers, and friends parents, That's Why We Don't Eat Animals is a great start The animals are charmingly drawn in a caricaturist, almost geometric style, and their environments are depicted with bright or dark colors, depending on their living conditions. The vocabulary is simple and straightforward, doesnt get too dark or complicated for children, and avoids a preachy, overbearing tone in favor of a sensitive, informative one.
Feminist Review

Roths artistry brings the story to life through color and rigid form.
Farmbrarian

Rubys beautiful illustrations are colorful and whimsical, and they have a way of keeping my daughters eyes glued to the page! ... This is by far the most gentle, yet eye opening, animal rights book available for our youngest generation!
The Vegan Mom

[Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals is] a delightful, beautifully illustrated guide to some of the worlds most pressing topicsfrom health to environment to animal protectionfor children ages 4-10.
Elephant Journal

Roth created her new illustrated book, That's Why We Don't Eat Animals, for elementary school aged children, exploring topics such as factory farming, overfishing and rainforest destruction in a manner that is truthful, yet age-appropriate.
Compassionate Living Magazine

Roth gently discusses what is wrong with the way we raise food If each parent read this book to their child, I'm certain more children would consider becoming vegetarian.
Vegetarian Resource Group

A book written for children and their families, That's Why We Don't Eat Animals is just as vital an addition to the veg-friendly library as John Robbin's The Food Revolution or Jonathan Safran Foer's Eating Animals, because its simple, yet profound messagethat the animals of this world have as much a desire to live and love their families as we dois enough to become a seed of change for good in the hearts of children and grown-ups alike. I've never seen a book that handles the subject of factory farming, overfishing, and the destruction of our fellow animals and planet so delicately.
Kiss Me, I'm Vegan

I recently began my search for a simple, clear children's book about vegetarianism. I wanted something more than a story about an unrealistic, cartoon animal, as well as a story that touched on the environment and American factory farms I was really happy to find That's Why We Don't Eat Animals by Ruby Roth.
Erin, MN Veggie Mama

Thats Why We Dont Eat Animals is a milestone in childrens literature.
Vegetarians in Paradise

Ruby's illustrations are just superb. She has an abstract style and the animals are almost, but not quite, painted in caricature. I commend her for making a visually pleasing book while not shying away from the realities of animal use. That's Why We Don't Eat Animals covers just about every aspect of animal exploitation, and does it in a sensitive way that breaks the awful truth to our children as easily as possible.
Raw on $10 a Day (or Less!)

"A gorgeously illustrated childrens book that we are just mad for."
The GirlieGirl Army

Author Bio

A vegan since 2003, Ruby Roth is an artist and illustrator living in Los Angeles. First inspired by children's interest in healthy foods and veganism while teaching art in an after-school program, Roth has lived in Los Angeles, Kauai, and the Bay Area. This is her first children's book.