Half graphic novel and half prose-poem journal, Pardalita is a sweet, gentle coming-of-age story for YA readers. At the start of the book, 16-year-old protagonist Raquel has been suspended from school for two days for cursing at the hall monitor, a suspension that doesn't much bother her, as she has the home to herself. Raquel hangs out … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Pardalita
By Frans de Waal Much of what we think we know about animals is based on myths that have been disproven by science a long time ago. We often believe humans are uniquely intelligent; we measure our importance by the very fact that we can use tools, communicate with each other, plan for the future … Continue reading #Veganuary: Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?
By Zakiyyah Iman Jackson This is another excellent book challenging what it means to be human. It explores the history of Blackness and animality in the history of Western thought and science. The animalization of Black people by a white supremacist society has been met with “pleas for human recognition,” but Zakiyyah offers another perspective. … Continue reading #Veganuary: Becoming Human: Matter and Meaning in an AntiBlack World
A Handbook on Total Liberationist Veganism and a Shared Reality by John Tallent As an African vegan I have often felt alienated from the mainstream vegan movement. Like the rest of society, the vegan movement is plagued with issues and dominated by people who live privileged lives and perpetuate simplistic ideas of the world and … Continue reading #Veganuary: How to Unite the Left on Animals
By Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka Mountain Gorillas only remain in the wild in three countries in the world: Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. I am lucky enough to live in Rwanda, where I was able to walk with some of the few remaining mountain gorillas in the wild. Thanks to teams of extremely … Continue reading #Veganuary: Walking with Gorillas: The Journey of an African Wildlife Vet
By Alain Mabanckou translated by Helen Stevenson African literature frequently draws on the experiences of animals to demonstrate inequality and injustice in society by considering the perspectives of the marginalised and overlooked. Those that are ‘animalised’ in society are used in order to demonstrate the violence that is inflicted on the oppressed, and provide a … Continue reading #Veganuary: Memoirs of a Porcupine
The Postcolonial Animal: African Literature and Posthuman Ethics by Evan Maina Mwanga African culture is intimately connected with animals, from literature to spirituality; non-human animals are central to African beliefs and practices. Animals are featured extensively in African literature and are prominent in philosophy and political movements. But despite this, Africans are rarely featured in … Continue reading #Veganuary: The Postcolonial Animal: African Literature and Posthuman Ethics
I'm a big fan of nonfiction picture books. And a translated book is bound to get my attention. Home, forthcoming from Eerdman's Books for Young Readers, combines both to make a standout text. Written and illustrated by French born artist Isabelle Simler, Home is a survey of over 25 different animals from around the world … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Home
Five Essays for Freedom: A political primer for animal advocates By Kristy Alger An extremely important book for anyone looking to go vegan. Understanding the politics of animal exploitation is essential for anyone committed to veganism and that is exactly what Kirsty explains in detail. Kristy argues that merely promoting veganism as another capitalist consumer venture … Continue reading #Veganuary: Five Essays for Freedom: A Political Primer for Animal Advocates
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk Translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones This is the first fiction book on my list this month and there is a good reason. The novel is a crime story but with a twist in that it is also a primer for vegetarian ethics. The novel … Continue reading #Veganuary: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 