A mother-of-two believes her popular children’s books for vegans are empowering young people to choose what they eat – as she pens a sequel to her popular debut.
Tina Newman wrote Vivi the Supervegan because she felt too many other children’s books made subliminal assumptions that people eat meat and animal products – without questioning if that is the right thing to do.
As a vegetarian for more than 20 years and a vegan since 2017, she wanted to write a “normal children’s book with a vegan message” which would be suitable for her own children Lyla, six, and Ada, four.
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The 34-year-old says the first book had a “great response” from parents, with some saying: “You’ve no idea how much this has helped my children. Now, they feel like vegan superheroes.”
The second book - Vivi and the Planet Protector, illustrated by Luke Ives - introduces a boy character to boost the books’ cross-gender appeal and looks at how going vegan can help to safeguard the earth’s future.
She said she wrote the books “with the hope that it will encourage children to take a stand, empower them to be compassionate and kind”.
Her efforts have received endorsements from leading lights such as Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch, who said: “Her story reminds us that compassion is a true superpower and that we each have the capacity to be real-life heroes to the animals who desperately need us to care more.”
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Television presenter Jasmine Harman added: “This book provides a positive role model for vegan children who have very few characters in literature to relate to.”
Ms Newman, from Stonham Aspal, said: “My main mission is to bring about balance in a world where there isn’t anything to offer that alternative.
“Having two children myself, I know it’s difficult to give them books like that.
“The main aim is to empower vegan children who’ve already made that choice to, make them feel good about the things they are doing and know that they can inspire their friends and family.
“Just because they are children doesn’t mean they can’t inspire adults.
“What children really love about the characters and the books is the magic and the fun. In this book, I really wanted to show the impact children can have when they work with their friends and other people.”
Ms Newman is also part of Ipswich’s V-Gang Mummas, a group of five like-minded vegan mothers have joined forces to support those embarking on a change of lifestyle whilst raising a family.
The focus of the group is about creating a network of people and a “safe, supportive community” to help people with their transition to the increasingly popular vegan lifestyle.
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