Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN

I had the pleasure of hosting Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson at a conference some years ago at Farm Sanctuary. He’s as down-to-earth as the animals he depicts in his books on animal sentience. Most recognized for When Elephants Weep and Dogs Never Lie About Love, Masson is a committed animal advocate and vegan and that shines through in Dogs Have the Strangest Friends, a children’s compilation recounting the unique bonds animals have had amongst themselves.

Masson could have easily left this book as a warm and fuzzy compilation of tales he’s heard or witnessed over the years, but he makes a point of addressing issues important to us Vegbooks readers:

“I stopped drinking milk because I believe that a cow or a goat produces milk for her own babies, not for us. And I gave up butter and cheese, too… Milk was easy to give up because wonderful-tasting substitutes, soy milk and rice milk, are so easy to buy now.”

Readers will dive into these stories that depict the emotional world of animals: an elephant who comes to the rescue of a rhinoceros, a mother cat who saves her kittens from a burning building, a peregrine falcon who mourns the loss of his mate while trying to care for his young, and many other touching anecdotes.  Kids will inevitably learn (if it wasn’t already apparent to them), that animals are just as self aware, kindhearted, giving, and expressive as human beings. Shirley Felts’ soft, beautiful watercolor images compliment the text nicely. Another must have for the bookshelf.

Ages 9-12.

Review By JACQUELINE BODNAR

The reality that most vegetarian parents face when it comes to the way cows are treated is that the vast majority of these animals don’t have it good, to put it mildly. Pumped full of growth hormone and antibiotics, and then hooked up to mechanical milking machines, they live a production-line life that leaves a lot to be desired. But you wouldn’t learn that by reading Cow to your children.

This book focuses on dairy cows on a traditional dairy farm, the kind that no longer exists on a large scale today. The book starts out by asking the question, “What is it like to be a dairy cow?” The answers it provides to that question focus only on the fading image of a traditional farm, filled with loving providers and an idyllic setting.

From grazing the days away, to happy farmers who “gently” clean the udders before milking the cows, the entire book paints a picture that life as a dairy cow is serene and enjoyable. Unfortunately, parents who care about animal rights know this to not be true, and will likely want to steer their child clear of this misleading fairytale image.

Geared to ages 4-8, but not recommended.

Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN

I wouldn’t normally review a series-based publication, like those of the “Let’s-Read-And-Find-Out Science” compilation (although many of their titles are quite interesting), but this particular one is dietary ammunition in a vegan parent’s bookshelf.

Drinking milk, particularly cows’ lacteal secretions, past infancy has become a given in human society. Looking at all other mammals, however, we see that it’s quite frankly rare to do so, moreover from another species. A mother’s milk is nutrient rich and designed to help babies grow big and strong…and quickly. To continue drinking milk through adulthood can pose serious health risks.

This easy reader not only exposes young kids to the beautiful lives of whales (birth, migration, blow hole spouting) through scientific facts and gorgeous imagery, but it can be utilized to nurture better eating habits. When kids are faced with bovine milk-touting advertisements in school and classmates chug cartons of it day in and day out, vegan kids and parents alike need positive reinforcement. This book can do just that and incite a thoughtful “What is milk?”conversation. Now that there are yummy soy, almond, oat, hemp, and even coconut versions available on the market, it should prove to be an interesting dialogue!

Ages 4-8.