In this episode, we look at the ways in which literature for kids addresses food insecurity, hunger, and poverty, including the lasting impact of such representations. Alexia Moyer’s Amuse Bouche segment considers a passage from a classic Canadian novel in which shame and poverty, unfortunately, go together on the dinner plate. In a more positive vein, Dian Day talks about her new kids’ book about food insecurity, as well as her qualitative analysis published in Volume 11, Number 1 of Canadian Food Studies, “Food insecurity in books for children” (March 2024). Wrapping things up, Ruby Harrington considers Dian’s article within a broad perspective on familial and infant food insecurity.

Guests:

Alexia Moyer is co-Managing Editor of Canadian Food Studies and a founding member of the editorial collective, red line-ligne rouge, based in Montreal.

Dian Day is a writer and poet who recently completed her PhD in Cultural Studies at Queens University. With illustrator Amanda White, she is the author of the kids’ book, Shy Cat and the Stuff-the-Bus Challenge.

Ruby Harrington works for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and was previously a master student with the Fed Family Lab at Acadia University.

Mentioned in this episode:

- The Tin Flute / Bonneur d’occasion by Gabrielle Roy

- Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

- Fed Family Lab

Credits:

Host/Producer: David Szanto

Executive Producers: Rachel Engler-Stringer, Laurence Godin, Charles Levkoe, Phil Loring, Kristen Lowitt

Audio consultant: Zélie Scherrer

Music: Alex Guz and Evgeny Bardyuzha on Pixabay

Additional music: VoiceBosch on Pixabay

Sound Effects: Aviana_Phoenix and BenKirb on Pixabay

Image: Amanda White/Second Story Press

#DigestingFoodStudies

Digesting Food Studies is funded in part by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Lakehead University, and the Canadian Association for Food Studies.