A Boy, A Chicken & the Lion of Judah: How Ari Became a Vegetarian

What is a nine-year-old boy to do when he doesn't know why he feels the way he does, but he knows he doesn't want to eat meat? When the only way he can force himself to eat meat is if he washes it in a bowl of water right at the dinner table?

Worse yet, suppose his non-supportive grandmother is coming to visit while his mother is having a baby, and a schoolmate has caught him throwing his meat-filled sandwiches in the cafeteria garbage?

That's the dilemma Ari finds himself in, in this tale of a young boy who "learns to own his own stomach." With the guidance of a teacher (who also happens to be a vegetarian) and a loving grand-father, Ari learns to assert himself and make his own choices.

This book makes for interesting reading,in part because of the familial, cultural and dietary issues it raises, as well as for its glimpse into life in Israel, where the story is set.

Author Roberta Kalechofsky has skillfully woven a number of human issues into this story aimed at readers ages 7 -10. She explores intergenerational tensions regarding food and other control issues as Ari learns that his own father and grandfather had problems when they were children. As a backdrop to the tale, she also explores environmental and animal rights issues.

Ari's father is a conservationist who moved to Israel from the United States 12years before. He married an Israeli woman who works with the Society for Protection of Nature in Israel. Ari wrestles with the knowledge that his parents are vitally concerned about wild animals, flowers and migratory birds, but are unmoved by the plight of the animals they eat.

While the writing of this book is occasionally "dry," it nevertheless held my interest as an adult reader because I was intrigued by both the cultural and psychological issues it raises. Younger readers might need some guidance and help - but people of all ages can enjoy Ari's story and the meanings behind it.

-Reviewed by Jennie O. Collura