Did you just eat...Wilbur?

As my regular readers know, I draw lots of parallels between food and children's books, and I've pointed out countless times how the two worlds intersect in such odd and interesting ways.

Here is another one: Jennifer Armstrong's article, "Eating Reading Animals*", in this month's issue of The Horn Book.

Jennifer Armstrong is one of my absolute favorite non-fiction writers out there, anywhere, adult or children. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World (Random House) is brilliant and was one of my go-to recommendations to reluctant readers when I was working in libraries. I can't recommend her books enough. And I will continue to passionately recommend them.

I had to say all that before I tell you that I vehemently disagree with the arguments she makes in the article and I'm certain my face went red as a beet** while reading it, puffing up with all the unspoken arguments in my head.

And this is probably where my new job position is a good thing: it's going to prevent me from going on a rant. This blog post is my protest and I'll leave it at that.

I'll give Jennifer (and the folks at Horn Book) this: as usual, they are provocative and interesting, inspiring debate and thought and argument. And rarely, if ever, do I consider that a bad thing. By all means, yes, let's talk to each other about ethics and food and books and our children!

Eat, drink, and please read this article. Have at it in the comments.


* The article title actually has a strikethrough on "Eating" but, for the life of me, I can't get friggin Blogger to replicate it.

** Pun totally intended.