Books for Kids on Issue of Hunger
Thank you to Jennifer Fischer on Twitter who clued me in on the September month long campaign, Go Orange, to help fight hunger.
@pragmaticmom Do you have book suggestions that help kids understand the issue of hunger? Thanks! #goorange
Thank you also to Zina, from Let’s Lasso the Moon, for inviting me to join her efforts on this same anti-hunger campaign by inviting me to Moms Fighting Hunger on Facebook. Please feel free to join as well!
When I think about the issue of hunger and wonder how my kids can relate to it, the only thing that comes to mind is when they come home from school, famished because they didn’t like their lunch.
My kids all react to hunger differently. PickyKidPix will have a meltdown and scream about being very, very hungry. My son doesn’t even notice he’s hungry but will, slowly but surely, have a meltdown about something else. Like I don’t pay enough attention to him. My oldest, Grasshopper and Sensei, can feed herself. After that week of cooking camp, she’s now confident with the stove, oven, and blender.
But, truly, they’ve never experienced hunger in a prolonged sense. I tried to have them volunteer at Thanksgiving at homeless shelters but we were rejected because it was not deemed an appropriate venue for children. Many of the homeless guests also suffer from other afflictions like drug addiction.
One way to teach them both compassion, empathy and the issue of hunger is through books. I compiled a list of books to help kids understand the issue of hunger by researching library chat groups. These are the books that come up again and again. In seeing the world from a different perspective:
- How a micro-loan can allow a child in a developing country to attend school
- That a child like themselves can make a difference through something small like gifting their allowance
- What other families around the world possess
- What they can do to help those who are homeless and hungry
I am hoping that reading several of these books will also give them a sense of gratitude. That they recognize how fortunate they are. That they are in a position to help others. That they are capable of changing the world.
p.s. What are your favorite books for teaching your kids about social issues like homelessness, hunger and making a difference?
Teaching Kids About Issue of Hunger Through Picture Books
Please go here to see my post! I’ll be covering these great books and more. Thanks!
p.p.s. I’m excited to contribute to Let’s Lasso the Moon! I met Zina at BlogHer12 while standing in a very long and non-moving line waiting for a unicorn cake to be delivered in time for the evening’s big party. She is a brand ambassador for Melissa and Doug toys, you know, those great old-fashioned wooden-isy toys that might have overtaken a room in the house when your kids were toddlers and preschoolers? We still have some of the stamping kits!
As we stood there talking with her friend, a former work colleague, Tiffany Dahle of Peanut Blossum, I learned many eye-opening things. Tiffany was moving from the Mid-West to the South on her first day back from BlogHer12. And she really didn’t seem to fazed by it. Zina’s brand ambassador position was due to her Pinterest following, Tiffany speculated. How many, I asked, innocently? Guess, she said.
I picked an impossibly high number: “50,000.”
“Higher,” Tiffany said.
“100,000.”
“Higher.”
“200,000?!!”
“More.”
“300,000?!!!!!!”
“Close.”
“350,000.”
But that was last month. This month Zina doubled her Pinterest following. It was like meeting an Urban Legend!! When I asked how she did, she demurred politely, but Tiffany offered up that she is very inclusive in group boards. Unskinny Boppy talks about Zina in her post on How to Go Viral on Pinterest. But to say, “Just add a bunch of contributors” is to sell Zina’s boards short. I studied them. Really studied them. Like, for hours. I noticed:
- Her board descriptions are very thoughtfully written like a mini-post or a perfect book synopsis.
- She invites discussion, so much so, that some people forgot to use their nice words.
- Her boards hit the gestalt of parenting: Parent Water Cooler and Lifetime Love of Learning. Don’t we all need this?!
- As a graphic designer, she has an eye for design and is clearly a perfectionist.
- She pins thoughtfully and carefully, making sure pins have valid links. It’s not a flurry of crazy pinning (like I do) but a more discerning approach.
I’m honored to be included as a guest author on her blog.
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BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 is a book that I created to highlight books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as the characters in their books.
Before I go check out your guest post, I would like to say that my head is about to explode trying to figure out the secrets to all of these Social Media sites. Also, I hope you’re planning on going to Blogher next year, because it’s here in Chicago!
Hi Artchoo!,
I am sooo glad to hear that. My head is aching and that SEOQuake is totally stressing me out. Turns out I must have oodles of html affiliate code all over my home page so I need to write 2500 word posts to get the ratio right but, of course, that is too long for a post. So instead, I am just sitting here with a headache and feeling stressed out.
As for BlogHer, Capability:Mom is probably opting out. We are not sure if we can swing it next year. You will definitely get more blogging business from it in terms of clients, but talk about something that will make your head explode!! Still, it would be nice to meet you in person AND it’s not so far away from Boston. 2 hours by plane. Let me see if I can talk Capability:Mom into it. You definitely need a buddy to go or it’s overwhelming!
i definitely need help with my pin boards. i just keep finding all this great stuff. and do you know if it’s true that the intros we write for the boards and pins are searchable? as if we should seo them? and don’t fret over seoquake. we’ll figure it all out.
Hi Vanita,
Zina has posted a few posts on how to rock Pinterest on her blog, Let’s Lasso the Moon. They’re very helpful. http://letslassothemoon.com/2012/03/25/pinners-welcome/ and http://letslassothemoon.com/2012/01/05/10-tips-for-playing-on-pinterest/
350,000!!! Woozers! Good for her!!!
Going to go check out your guest post and become 350,001!!!
Hi Ann,
Now she’s closing in on 1 million Pinteret followers! 350,000 was last month!
Thanks so much for the mention in this great article! Zina’s boards are legendary in my book. She and Michael from Inspired by Charm should be crowned the Homecoming King and Queen of Pinterest. 🙂
Hi Beth,
Your article was so helpful! And I found it on Pinterest!!! Yes, Zina’s boards are legendary and she is the nicest person too! Michael’s boards are just consistently visually stunning. I agree. They have my vote for Homecoming King and Queen!!