Beyond the Barnyard
Boardbooks and Other Big Lies We Tell about Industrial Farming
Nick Kleese
University of Minnesota
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/cle.v1i1.5200
Keywords: Boardbooks, Industrial farming, barnyard friends
Abstract
Boardbooks featuring farmed animals are a staple of literature for very young children. Yet their depictions of happy, colorful, and cute barnyard animals obscure the grim realities of farming today, including the fact that industrial animal operations are one of the key drivers of the climate emergency. This article explores this tension and suggests alternative ways to help youngest readers connect to the realities of farming through children’s texts.