children's books

If you've learrned anything from zombie flicks, you know that when the end is near, it's time to prepare.  And it's probably a good time to catch up on all of that reading you've been putting off.

Below, you'll find a reading list to prepare you for the genderpocalypse.

When I found out that Starhawk, famed Earth Activist, spiritual feminist, Witch and permaculturist, had written a children’s book, I bought it before I knew I was ever going to be pregnant. The pictures, done by artist Lindy Kehoe, are beautiful paintings. The story centers on an herbalist (or witch), and introduces children to a woman healer making healing decoctions with herbs, emphasizing how important it is to keep wilderness, healthy plants, and wild spirits within alive, as well as being appreciative of the women (and men) who take care of the natural world. The herbalist witch in the book knows the natural world intimately, and knows how to respectfully and ethically use plants to make strong teas, brews and “soups.” She not only uses the natural world, she is part of it, intertwined seamlessly in its tree branches, helping give health to it just as it gives it back to her.

In this week's douchey children's lit news, Aloha Publishers is catching heat for a picture book they'll be releasing in October called Maggie Goes on a Diet, in which a 14 year old girl is "transformed" into a "normal sized teen" after going on a diet.

Rather than a diet, I'm pretty sure what Maggie needs is a healthy dose of children's books that promote fat-positivity. While they're hard to come by, there a few fat-friendly children's books that exist.