War in the Garden

As we live in a world surrounded by continuing wars in various countries and constantly reported on by most forms of media, our children are exposed to the terrifying realities confronted by many other kids worldwide. And although those locations may be on the other side of the earth or at least well away from where we might currently live, the frightening exposure to the atrocities that confront those far away children in those distant wartorn places. The shocking images beamed into our living rooms each evening could well be doing unknown damage to the minds of those little ones we so preciously wish to protect. We just don't know, can only assume? 

As both a father and a grandfather, the frightening aspects associated with those distant warzones have long bothered the author. What can that exposure do to mankind's inability to learn from history and develop the art of negotiation, without the need to harm our fellow men, women and children. It has always been a troubling thought in the mindset of so many of us. So whilst developing the concepts of the stories for Yuck! Food is from Where?, the author kept in mind that the story lines within his first book might not only introduce kids to where the food they eat originally came from, but also create a mindset that would make them question some of other aspects of their everyday life. And by creating a story that associates war with a true and everyday reality like the problem of having to eat your vegetables, the thoughts behind this story might one day help the next generation see the futility of not being able to discuss differences of opinions and negotiate successful outcomes to scary propositions? 

With absolutely no intention of trivialising war, a minor battle happens all over the world each evening at meal time when plates land on the table. Hopefully the story of The Vegetable Wars will not only help parents and other guardians overcome that age-old battle, but indeed be the beginning of forging an ability to negotiate positive solutions and outcomes. At the dinner table and in the future of humankind. Hopefully the images of the potatoes supposedly going off to war with their dangerous potato peelers, on their mission to keep kids scared of eating their vegetables, will long stay in memories. 

The Vegetable Wars. Who knows?