"Do you or I or anyone know
how oats, peas beans and barley grow"
-- Traditional British and American folk song (which I just happened to
sing to my grandson today)
"Seeds are power packs of nutrition. They contain a plant embryo -- the
beginning of a young plant. But they also contain energy, stored as plant
food. This energy will power the young plant until if forms green leaves.
photosynthesis.) A seed's energy is stored in the form of fats, proteins, and
starches. That makes seeds nutritious and tasty. Seeds are also an
excellent food because they store well."
-- from the author's afterword, "A Few More Handfuls: The Scoop on Seeds"
As with RAH, RAH, RADISHES! and GO, GO, GRAPES!, LET'S GO NUTS! is made up
of a bouncy chant and great photographs. And, as with the other two
books, it logically brings together a somewhat disparate group of foods into one
category.
But while I loved RAH, RAH, RADISHES! and GO, GO, GRAPES!, I love this one
even more. Here's why:
For the past thirty-six years I have eaten no animal flesh; and for the
past twelve years, I have eaten no animal products at all. There are
important ethical and environmental-related issues underlying these conscious
changes in my diet.
Yet, though I don't eat meat or eggs or dairy products, I feel healthier
for it and I have more than enough energy. Why? Because I eat a lot of
seeds.
As we learn in LET'S GO NUTS!, the seeds we eat can be grouped into nuts,
beans, grains, and there are also some spices that are derived from seeds.
The portion of the author's afterword that I quote (above) is such a
perfect explanation of why I can maintain a vegan diet and have the energy that
I do. Today, for example, I have eaten wheat, cashew butter, rice and
pinto beans. And after I get done with this essay, I'll treat myself to some
"ice cream" made from rice which I'll top with some coconut (which, as we
learn here, is the world's largest edible nut). That these seeds provide me
all the energy I need to live healthy is why many millions of tons of
these same seed foods are utilized every day in growing meat animals.
One more reason why I find this book fascinating is that the foods
photographed here do not have all the bright colors we find in Sayre's vegetable
book and fruit book. There is a lot more subtlety here, calling for a lot
closer look.
Think about it: The world grows many times more seeds -- particularly
wheat, rice, soybeans, oats, and corn -- than it does vegetables or fruit.
That makes this one an important and interesting book.
And no doubt some of you recognize that if we diverted just a fraction of
those tons of seed foods that are used in growing meat animals away from
that task and, instead, fed them directly to people, then there would be no
need for hunger in the world.
Just sayin...
32 pages 978-1-4424-6728-6 Ages 4-8
Recommended by: Richie Partington, MLIS, Librarian, California USA
Richie's Picks _https://richiespicks.com_