How did you come to write this book for your granddaughter?

Her daycare had asked her mom to bring a book to read to the class so that the kids would understand what a vegetarian was. Easier said than done. Could not find one in any of the stores. So, I was inspired. After all, I wanted all the little kids to know what a vegetarian was. I wrote the book then drew the pictures. The day came for Mazzie to take it to school. Her teacher read it to her class. They loved it, and so did the teacher...but when they sat down to eat lunch, NONE of the kids would eat their chicken nuggets.

What focus does the story have to help small children relate to vegetarianism?

The best reason that I could come up with to let all kids know why little veggies do not eat meat is the animals. Children have a natural love for animals, and they do not want to hurt them. I believe that they are born that way, and it is society that desensitizes them and us. They can easily understand that no matter what name you cover it with; meat is still an animal.

What has the response been like from parents?

Vegetarian parents love the story and the pictures. The adults that have seen it that are not vegetarian all seem to love it as well. In fact, most of them seem to think that it should be in daycare centers around the country. Which would be a great thing, of course. I think that some parents that believe in the regular type of animal based diet (non-veggie) might be scared that my book might plant some seed in their children's minds that they do not want there. For instance, one father told me they try not to let their son know that they are feeding him an animal when they feed him hamburgers.

When do you recommend starting to explain to kids about vegetarianism? How?

I think the younger the better. Hopefully my book will help with that. Children really seem to love tofu and soymilk. They aren't held back by preconceived notions as we are. I really believe we are taught to like meat; that it is not something that comes naturally. As for older kids, try little things at first. Their taste buds will change, and they will soon love it. Taste is everything, though-if it doesn't taste good, kids are not going to eat it. And last but not least, it's important to not make them feel weird for not liking something. I know for our family we have tried some things that we really don't like. When that happens we just don't make that again...but the adventure continues!!! For parents that have teenage children that want to be vegetarian, read up on it, educate yourself. Then you can help them and also build a strong bond of respect.

Many people feel that dealing with family and friends who don't understand is the hardest part about raising veggie kids. What advice do you have to give on dealing with others who are close to us?

We have to understand most people that are close to us worry about us being vegetarian because they are not educated on the subject, so they seem to think that we will be unhealthy. If they only knew! Since no one likes to be preached to, I find that it's best to nicely reassure them that you are making sure you and your children are getting the proper nutrition. Are you getting enough protein? This seems to be everyone's big question. I do think it's alright to let them know facts about why, for instance, you don't let your child drink milk. Most times, we just have to remember people make fun or show concern for what they don't understand.

How did you and your family become veg?

My daughters and I picked up a PETA magazine about 4 or 5 years ago and started reading it. We were shocked at some of the articles and couldn't stop thinking about them. So we started reading everything that we could get our hands on. We watched "Diet for a New America" and it all made so much sense to us. We had been eating the Standard American Diet (SAD), so we bought cookbooks. Now that I look back it was a great adventure learning new things, and although some of the things we learned were very disturbing, it changed our lives for the better.

What does your granddaughter have to say about vegetarianism?

Mazzie has been raised vegetarian. She is almost vegan, but her mother still lets her have an egg once in a while. However, she does not eat any dairy products. When we go out to a regular restaurant, she will usually ask for soymilk. In fact, she asks, "Do you have cow milk or soymilk?" Being vegetarian is completely normal for her, she knows no different. When she sees someone eating meat, she will ask, "Why are you eating cow or pig?" She rarely calls it meat. She calls cheese cow cheese or soy cheese. The lines are very clear in her mind. Children are very wise. Given the proper tools, they will make lifetime decisions and become ambassadors for other children as well. Someday those kids will remember and hopefully make a better choice, too. Then, as children become older, they can learn about all the other reasons to be veg: like health, environment, and world hunger. All you have to do is plant the seed.

What can you tell us about your next book, focusing on veganism?

The title is "What on Earth Is a Vegan?" This book explains the difference between vegetarians and vegans. I will have it done very soon. I'm planning on having a t-shirt to go with that book as well. It's written for children ages 5 and up.

Tell us why you donate some of your profits to Farm Sanctuary.

It is a great place with dedicated people. Our family went there for a country hoe down and meeting. After visiting there, I became vegan. They are very active in trying to change factory farming. They have been the ones trying to make the Farm Animal Protection Act a law. This law would allow animals that are too sick or injured to be sold and humanely euthanized instead of being left to suffer. They have also been responsible for rescuing thousands of farm animals.

Why did you self publish?

I decided to self publish because I was tired of waiting to talk to new publishers and having them all tell me the same thing: that this was a really cute book, but that it wouldn't sell. The bottom line is I wanted to get a message out to as many people as I could about being vegetarian. Children are our hope for a better more compassionate world.